The entertainment industry has experienced some major losses as of late, from TV and film legend Angela Lansbury to Migos member Takeoff. Before Takeoff’s unfortunate passing following a shooting on November 1, America’s Got Talent alum Zuri Craig passed unexpectedly at 33 on October 21. Craig and Takeoff’s passings hit home for successful media mogul Tyler Perry, as the late rapper is from his Atlanta -- where Perry is a staple. Perry also worked with Craig on several Madea films, on which the deceased performer served as an actor and music producer. In the aftermath of the stars' tragic deaths, the businessman wrote about how he deals with grief.
The A Jazzman’s Blues director hopped on his Instagram, where he got candid about dealing with the loss of both men. Along with highlighting the loss of Craig (via People) and Takeoff, he took the time to acknowledge the recent deaths of real estate agent Robert Wyatt Wheeler and TV writer and producer David Arnold. Perry didn't hold back when it came to discussing his own experiences. Among the things he talked about were the sometimes cliched sentiments that those who are bereaved receive from people. In his words:
Hey…. I just want you to know that you may hear a lot of cliches from people, things like 'you loved them but God loved them best' or 'they are with the Lord now' and people really do mean well when they say these things, however, the truth of the matter is, nothing can comfort you, one moment you will be fine and the next you'll be breaking down.
The grieving process involves many emotional levels, though it can definitely vary by person. As Tyler Perry mentioned, someone will feel fine one moment but could cry uncontrollably the next. It seems that through these words, he just wanted to reassure those dealing with loss that it’s fine to go through such waves.
The writer/director has had first-hand experience with grief, as he lost his mother in 2009. The multihyphenate spoke about not being able to schedule grief while making a point to fans regarding how one can't "work" through grief:
You can't "work" through it, it will just wait for you to finish the job. You can't sleep through it, it will be waiting for you by the bedside when you awake in the morning. Believe me, I tried... Unfortunately, grief is a living thing that visits at will.
As the Don’t Look Up star put it, the grieving process isn't just something that happens and moves away quickly. Sometimes, a person simply lives in it for a while. Perry followed up his remarks with another piece of advice regarding the power of prayer, though he also made another keen suggestion in the process:
The only thing I can offer you is a prayer, and my prayer for you is that it comes in waves. Gentle ones that give you enough grace In between them so that you can function. And lastly, I'll say this to you, my dear friend, be around people you trust because I promise you it's hard to trust yourself when grief is wrapped around you like an old familiar robe.
Being around and leaning on loved ones can certainly help someone who's dealing with grief and all the emotions that come with it. Along with his encouraging words, Perry memorialized the men he mentioned in his post with a touching slideshow tribute. If there's one thing to know about the director, it's that he's always willing to give people their flowers. He did that very thing following the death of Cicely Tyson, who Perry paid a million dollars for a single day of work on Why Did I Get Married?
Tyler Perry is just one of the many who's currently mourning Zuri Craig and Takeoff (whose birth name was Kirshnik Khari Ballwere). Both men were rising stars in the entertainment industry, though their impacts will surely be felt by those who knew them and enjoyed their art..
We here at CinemaBlend extend our condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Takeoff and Zuri Craig during this challenging time.
