The NYC Classical station, WQXR, has been paying tribute to Ms. Sills this evening, so I thought I would read up about her. Lo and behold, she was not only a brilliant musician and arts administrator, but she was also mother to two children with special needs. Her daughter Meredith, who was at her side when she died, is deaf, and her son Peter is developmentally disabled and has lived in a care facility since he was small.
When her daughter was born, Sills put her career on hold, and when her son came along two years later and was diagnosed with severe disabilities and epilepsy, she stayed out of the spotlight for quite awhile. Eventually, she not only came back to the stage with a vengeance but also made a great contribution as national chairperson of the March of Dimes for many years.
The LA Times has one of the most comprehensive articles: http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-sills3jul03,0,5195897.story?coll=la-home-obituaries
Truly an amazing woman.
1 comment:
I always loved Beverly Sills and had no idea she was a special needs Momma! I love her even more now!
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