Family and friends of John Amos are remembering his legacy.
Amos’ family members gathered for a celebration of life at Leimert Park in Los Angeles on Nov. 21, the place they pay tribute to the late actor following his loss of life in August. Hosted by community advocate Najee Ali and led by Pastor Robert Sausedo, attendees shared their reminiscences of Amos with the group.
“For a lot of younger African-American boys who grew up as I did, John Amos was the daddy determine that we did not have,” Ali stated in a press launch for the ceremony. “His function on Good Occasions portrayed him as a loving husband and father, who was a supplier and protector for his household. The best honor of my life was assembly him in Leimert Park and telling him that I watched him on Good Occasions each week and wished I had grown up with a father like him.”
Through the service, actor Rodney Allen Ripply gave a speech about what Amos meant to him, honoring the Roots alum for his widespread influence.
“I ain’t going to take up a lot time, however I simply need to say, God bless John,” Ripply stated as he acquired choked up. “I do know he is in heaven. He was a very good man. I bear in mind him all the way in which again to his one-man present, Halley’s Comet. I do not forget that, and I bear in mind going to see him do his one-man act, and I used to be like, this man — what for like, an hour and a half — I stated, ‘Man, how a lot content material does this man have in his hand?’ And I used to be like, ‘Wow.’ He was an actor of actors, and I stand on his shoulders due to individuals like him, who’s superb.”
Aiden Romero
Rippy additionally recalled when he first met Amos whereas beginning up his radio present. He stated he was calling individuals to ask if they’d be visitors and he was launched to Amos by his longtime rep throughout that course of.
“Via Belinda Foster, I used to be in a position to get in touch with John,” Rippy shared. “And John and [his son] Ok.C. got here to my present, and I used to be in a position to interview John, and I used to be so honored as a result of I grew up, you already know, I used to be pleased with the 70s and all of that, and I noticed John, and John was my greatest interview on my present.”
“I used to be so honored to have John be there,” he added.
Following the occasion, Amos’ son, Ok.C., supplied because of everybody who contributed to the gathering, saying he was blissful to see everybody “uniting with me to have fun my father’s life.”
“We’re honoring my father, John Amos, in L.A. with these he beloved and particularly with the group that he cherished and cared about. I am finishing up my father’s needs, and there are extra particulars coming quickly as to the actual reality,” he shared in a press release, seemingly referring to the continuing drama along with his sister Shannon.
Shannon was not current on the service as she introduced in an Instagram post on Oct. 23 that she deliberate a memorial and celebration of life for the Good Occasions star on Nov. 23 as a way of “sending my dad’s spirit house” and to “have fun his extraordinary life and legacy.”
Chris Tian additionally remembered Amos in a press release to PEOPLE, sharing, “I might wish to ship my love and condolences to KC Amos, Belinda Foster, Eugene Brummet and everybody else effected [sic] by the lack of our John Amos who we cherished deeply. John was an actual humanitarian as a father, actor, and pricey buddy. His legacy continues to encourage all of us.”
Ed White, Najee Ali, Aiden Romero
Amos died of congestive coronary heart failure on Aug. 21 at 5:18 p.m. at a hospital in Inglewood, Calif. He was 84. No post-mortem was carried out and a loss of life certificates obtained by PEOPLE confirmed that his stays, which seem like within the possession of Ok.C., have been cremated on Aug. 30.
Ok.C. introduced his dad’s passing in a press release on Oct. 1.
“It’s with heartfelt unhappiness that I share with you that my father has transitioned,” Ok.C. wrote in a press release to PEOPLE. “He was a person with the kindest coronary heart and a coronary heart of gold… and he was beloved the world over.”
He continued: “Many followers contemplate him their TV father. He lived a very good life. His legacy will dwell on in his excellent works in tv and movie as an actor.”
“My father beloved working as an actor all through his whole life,” he added. “Most not too long ago in Fits LA enjoying himself and our documentary about his life journey as an actor, America’s Dad. He was my dad, my finest buddy, and my hero. Thanks to your prayers and help presently.”
Ed White, Najee Ali, Aiden Romero
Shannon and Amos’ goddaughter Amy Goudy later launched their very own assertion claiming they came upon about Amos’ loss of life by way of the media. On Facebook, Shannon known as out her brother for the mistreatment of their father in his closing days, noting that his failure to inform them in regards to the loss of life was suspicious.
Shortly after the message made headlines, Foster, who was additionally named in Goudy’s assertion, refuted these claims in an unique assertion shared with PEOPLE.
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“I represented John Amos for over 30 years as his publicist of report,” Foster stated. “The media is aware of this together with John’s companies of report. Through the years we grew shut to at least one one other to the purpose of a familial relationship. In the previous couple of years, he typically referred to me as his ‘daughter.’ This was not a fraud by John, Ok.C., or myself. He was like a father to me. I deeply mourn his passing.”
“Shannon’s claims that John was abused are false,” Foster continued. “Ok.C., Eugene and I, together with quite a few others cared for him. On a number of events when Shannon claimed that he was abused, legislation enforcement authorities sat with John and confirmed his nicely being.”
PEOPLE beforehand reached out to a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Division, who stated there “aren’t any updates or statements” with regard to reopening John’s elder abuse case presently.
