The sudden death of Grammy Award winning recording artist Mandisa weeks ago shocked the Christian music community worldwide — and now the cause of death has been revealed.
A former American Idol contestant, Mandisa Lynn Hundley died at age 47 in her Nashville home on April 18. During her memorial service on April 27, her father, John Hundley, stated that she “fell down in her bedroom (and) they found her on the floor.”
According to an autopsy report obtained by People Magazine, Mandisa died of complications related to class III obesity.
The condition is explained in an FAQ published by the Cleveland Clinic. “Class III obesity, formerly known as morbid obesity, is a complex chronic disease in which a person has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher or a BMI of 35 or higher and is experiencing obesity-related health conditions,” states the website.
Mandisa’s inspirational Gospel-pop hits have been a mainstay on contemporary Christian radio for more than a decade, notably her song “Overcomer.”
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Hundreds showed up to her memorial service in Brentwood, Tennessee, on April 27, as well as more than 11,500 people live-streamed the service online.
Well-known Christian speaker and author Beth Moore took to the stage to share about Mandisa’s impact in her own life.
“Whatever she did, she did it with every molecule she had,” said Moore. “Mandisa had an impact on an audience that no one I have ever seen. She was simply sublime, utterly mesmerizing. She loved Jesus in a way that made everyone around her love Him. We witnessed her worship when no one was looking.”
Mandisa wrote about her struggles with depression and other issues in her book, Out of the Dark: My Journey through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy, released in 2022.
“So many people have struggled,” she told CHVN Radio in a 2022 interview. “Even people that we see in the Bible. The way that I see God address those people, is not by saying, ‘I’m so ashamed of you, I’m so disappointed,’ but with love and with grace.
“I want to encourage people, even if you think you’re not making a difference, reaching out and letting somebody know that you care and that you love them, they hear that.”
Freelance journalist Josh Shepherd writes on faith, culture, and public policy for several media outlets. He and his family live in the Washington, D.C. area.
