Luther Vandross gave an intimate interview to Oprah Winfrey in 2004 following his stroke 

But his niece, Seveda Williams, tells PEOPLE that she didn’t initially agree with his decision to go through with the appearance.

“He did an Oprah interview, which I wasn’t completely on board with

But my grandmother thought that it would help other stroke victims to see that,” Williams tells PEOPLE.

In the interview, Vandross wears sunglasses and his voice is audibly slurred and slowed, a lingering effect of his stroke on April 16, 2003.

But Vandross had an important message to share, his niece tells PEOPLE, which inspired him to give the interview.

“He just wanted people to know that taking good care of your health is extremely important and that having diabetes is not a joke and having a stroke from it is not either,”

She said about Vandross, who was 54 when he died in 2005.

He “never really recovered” from the stroke, his rep said at the time.

As Williams tells PEOPLE, Vandross “wanted everybody to do what they can to help themselves.”

While Vandross’s stroke was, indeed, debilitating, Williams says that “during that time that he was ill, there was always constant singing going on, not just between he and I,

But all of his friends were coming around.”

“There were rehearsals — [doing] that was kind of a therapy session all the time — having the singers around and just acting like they were preparing for a tour.”

“He was all into that,” she said.

And as Williams previously told PEOPLE, the eight-time Grammy Winner never stopped singing — even in his final days.

“He was singing up to the last minute,” she told PEOPLE about her uncle, whose life story will be told in an upcoming documentary

Produced by Jamie Foxx’s Foxxhole Productions and Colin Firth’s Raindog Films.

“I hope people see him as human, a man who had a great career, but a man who lived a life.”
In addition to his inspiring message about the importance of health care and the seriousness of diabetes, Luther Vandross also left a lasting impact on those around him through his love for music.

Despite his debilitating stroke, Vandross continued to sing and create music, using rehearsals as a form of therapy during his illness.

His friends and fellow musicians would gather around, preparing for imaginary tours and keeping the music alive. It was clear that music was a vital part of Vandross’s life, even in his final days.

His niece, Seveda Williams, recalled how he never stopped singing, up until the very end. This dedication to his craft and his passion for music will be highlighted in an upcoming documentary produced by Jamie Foxx’s Foxxhole Productions and Colin Firth’s Raindog Films.

Through his music and his unwavering spirit, Vandross showed the world that despite facing challenges and health issues, it is possible to find joy and solace in the things you love.

His legacy as a talented musician and a resilient individual will continue to inspire generations to come. Follow us for more updates and interesting information, as we strive to bring you valuable content to enrich your life.