Cissy Houston's heartbreaking letter to late daughter Whitney Houston goes viral after her death at 91
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: Whitney Houston's mother, Cissy Houston, died on Monday, October 7, in her New Jersey home while in hospice care for Alzheimer's, 12 years after her daughter tragically drowned at age 48.
Cissy's heart-wrenching tribute to her daughter, which was published in the funeral program and shared by TMZ at the time, has resurfaced after the Grammy-winning gospel singer's daughter-in-law shared the news of her death.
Cissy Houston's emotional tribute to daughter Whitney Houston
Cissy Houston started her letter with deep gratitude for her family. "Dearest Whitney: The presence of God blessed our home with life, love, joy, and peace. You and your brothers were the center of divine love attracting God’s richest blessings," began the heartbroken mother.
She continued, "You were a child of God. We had so much love in our home that was truly from on high. You always gave without expecting anything in return and our love was the force that multiplied these blessings higher and higher."
"I never told you that when you were born the Holy Spirit told me that you would not be with me long and I thank God for the beautiful flower he allowed me to raise and cherish for 48 years," added Cissy.
Using Whitney's nickname, she added, "God said it’s time Nippy; your work is done. The other day on February 11th He came for you. But not without warning. For two months now I have been depressed, crying, lonesome, and sad not knowing why."
Cissy recalled, "On Saturday, before I found out about your transition, my doorbell rang. I went to answer it but there was no one there. It rang again and again, no one was there so I called the concierge to tell him someone was ringing my doorbell. He checked the cameras and told me that no one was there."
The letter continued, "You promised me you were coming to spend time with me after the Grammys. I believe the spirits allowed you to come after all. How I love you Nippy and how I miss you, your beautiful smile, your special little things you used to say to me, and sometimes you’d call just to say 'Hi Mommie, I love you so much.'"
"I loved you so much more. I love you, I’ll miss you, Thank you for being such a wonderful daughter. Rest my baby girl in Peace, you’re now in the arms of Jesus. Love, Mommie," concluded Cissy.
A tough goodbye to the Houston family's matriarch
As Cissy Houston's health declined, she spent her final days surrounded by family and in hospice care battling Alzheimer's. Her death marks a huge loss for the Houston family, who’ve endured more than their fair share of tragedy.
In a statement, Cissy's daughter-in-law, Pat Houston, said, "Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We lost the matriarch of our family. Mother Cissy has been a strong and towering figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community."
She added, "Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts."
Sadly, this isn't the first time the Houston family has been rocked by tragedy. Just three years after Whitney's death, her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, died in 2015 at the age of 22. The back-to-back losses were a gut punch, and now the pain is even deeper with Cissy gone.
In their final tribute to Cissy, the Houston family shared some comforting words saying she "may now rest in peace alongside her daughter, Whitney, and granddaughter Bobbi Kristina and other cherished family members," as per the Daily Mail.
