John Amos wanted his death announcement delayed fearing daughter Shannon would turn it into a ‘circus’
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA: John Amos, the iconic actor known for his roles in 'Roots' and 'Good Times', reportedly requested that the announcement of his death be delayed to prevent his daughter Shannon from turning the situation into a “circus.”
This revelation comes from Belinda Foster, Amos' longtime publicist, following the actor's death at 84 due to congestive heart failure. His son, Kelly Christopher Amos (K.C.), announced his father's death over a month after the actor’s death, leading to a flurry of controversy surrounding the family dynamics.
Actor John Amos wanted his death announcement to be delayed
Shannon, Amos' daughter, expressed her shock upon learning of her father’s death through media reports.
Amy Gaudy, Amos’ goddaughter, released a statement on behalf of Shannon and other family members. She accused K.C. and Foster of isolating the actor from his family during his final days and alleged elder abuse.
On Thursday, Foster denied all allegations made against her by Gaudy, Shannon, and other family members in a statement initially given to People and later confirmed by The Post asserting her deep bond with Amos over their 30-year relationship.
“I represented John Amos for over 30 years as his publicist of record. The media knows this along with John’s agencies of record,” Foster stated.
“Over the years we grew close to one another to the point of a familial relationship. In the last few years, he often referred to me as his ‘daughter.’ This was not a fraud by John, K.C., or myself. He was like a father to me. I deeply mourn his passing.”
According to Amos, he had an “acrimonious” relationship with his daughter and refuted Shannon’s claim that K.C. had committed elder abuse against him. In her statement, Foster emphasized Amos' previous comments regarding his daughter.
“Shannon’s claims that John was abused are false,” Foster asserted. “K.C., I, and many others took care of him. On multiple occasions when Shannon claimed he was being abused, law enforcement officials met with John and verified that he was in good health.”
Foster further revealed that K.C. was legally barred from contacting Shannon due to a court order stemming from an ongoing family dispute, complicating the communication surrounding Amos' death.
“At the time of John’s passing, K.C. was under a strict no-contact order from the Superior Court of New Jersey based on the Complaint that his sister Shannon brought against him in 2023. As a condition of his Pretrial Release, K.C. is precluded from making any contact with Shannon directly or indirectly by phone, social media, or any method of communication,” Foster mentioned.
She stated, “At the time of his death, John was concerned that Shannon might turn his death and interment into a circus as she had done with other aspects of his life. It was John who requested the delay in announcing his death to Shannon and the rest of the world.”
Publicist expresses sympathy for Shannon amid family drama following John Amos' death
Belinda Foster, the actor’s publicist, expressed her regret over Shannon's choices while maintaining her support for Amos' legacy. She feels "sorry that Shannon has chosen this path, but consistent with John’s approach, I will respond to her with firmness but compassion.”
Foster detailed that while John loved Shannon, their relationship was strained.
“John loved Shannon but she was a difficult child to the point that John had to order that an unauthorized ‘GoFundMe’ page that she put up in June 2023 be shut down.”
Responding to concerns about Amos' mental health, Foster reassured the public that he had been in good spirits prior to his death.
"For those concerned with John’s state of mind, I should note that John had interviews with PEOPLE Magazine, Variety Magazine, Hollywood Reporter, and acted in SUITS LA all recently in 2024. Medical authorities have interviewed him in the last year and found him to be mentally sound.”
Foster concluded her statement with a plea to respect Amos’ legacy. “For the sake of preserving John’s well-earned reputation as a superb actor and a community activist, we hope we can put to rest these nonsensical claims that Shannon is offering out of her own pain as a result of estrangement from her father.”
The public feud reached a boiling point when Amy Gaudy, Amos’ goddaughter, claimed in a Facebook post that John had been isolated from his family by K.C., Eugene Brummet, and Foster over the past year.
Gaudy and other family members alleged that Amos suffered from dementia, a claim contradicted by the actor's death certificate, which listed congestive heart failure as his only medical condition.
