Heavy A DWTS alum revealed both of her parents have battled cancer.
A former “Dancing With the Stars” competitor is sharing some devastating family news.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, season 24 finalist Normani Kordei revealed that her father was diagnosed with cancer just one year after her mom’s second cancer diagnosis.
“(When my mom was going through chemo) the thing that really kept her going was getting on FaceTime and being like, ‘How are the sessions going?’ She’s always so eager to hear the new records we’ve been working on. And then a year later when my dad ended up being diagnosed, he would say mid-treatment, ‘I’m ready for you to take over the world,'” Kordei said. She did not elaborate on her father’s diagnosis.
Heavy has attempted to reach out to a rep for Kordei for additional comment.
Here’s what you need to know:
Andrea Hamilton Was First Diagnosed With Breast Cancer When Normani Kordei Was 5-Years-Old
Normani Kordei and her mom Andrea Hamilton have spoken out about Andrea’s breast cancer diagnosis.
“My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was around 5 years old, and it was the scariest point in all of our lives,” Kordei said in an interview with Paper magazine in 2018.
“I was about 33 years old and I wasn’t doing my breast exams on a regular basis. I don’t know what it was but something told me to check that day that I found the lump. I immediately went to the doctor. By doing my own self breast exam I caught it at an early stage,” Hamilton told the outlet.
Following treatment, Hamilton’s cancer went into remission. However, 19 years later, her cancer returned.
In October 2020, Hamilton revealed that her cancer had returned. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I did it once and I’ll do it again! #CancerWho,” she captioned an Instagram photo of a pair of rosary beads. She underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy, according to posts shared on her Instagram feed.
In August 2021, Kordei tweeted that her mom had just finished her final round of radiation therapy.
Kordei competed on season 24 of “Dancing With the Stars” in 2017 alongside pro Valentin Chmerkovskiy. They finished in third place.
Normani Kordei Gifted Her Mom a BMW SUV for Christmas 2022
After her mom spent years of her life battling breast cancer, Kordei wanted to do something special for her to let her know that she is very much loved and appreciated.
For Christmas in 2022, Kordei surprised her mom with a BMW SUV.
“The greatest gift that you could ever be blessed with is the gift of life. Not just your own but also the life of a child. GOD has truly blessed me in so many ways. As a parent, when you decide to have a child, it becomes your duty to do everything in your power to insure that that child is loved, happy and provided with every opportunity within your means to succeed; and expecting nothing in return but their happiness. When they feel it in their heart to do something special for you, it’s so heartfelt,” Hamilton captioned an Instagram video uploaded on January 6, 2023.
In a second video uploaded two days later, Hamilton was seen crying while hugging her daughter after she saw the car — topped with a large red bow — for the first time.
After watching her mom battle cancer, Kordei became a global ambassador for the American Cancer Society.
“It’s very important for me to be able to speak out because we’ve gone through it. It’s almost… It’s my duty. It’s who I am and it’s what I’m supposed to be doing. It’s my purpose,” the former Fifth Harmony singer is quoted as saying in an excerpt on the organization’s official website.
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