Aretha Franklin's family "appreciates" the "love and support" they have received since it was reported the star is "seriously ill".
Aretha Franklin
The 76-year-old music icon is believed to be "gravely" ill, and whilst her family are said to have gathered round to say their goodbyes, they're thankful for the "outpouring" of support they and the Queen of Soul have received since the news was first reported.
Aretha's longtime publicist Gwendolyn Quinn told People magazine: "Aretha Franklin has been the Matriarch of the Franklin family since the passing of all of her siblings. The love she has for her family is above reproach and was evident in the warm smiles she was able to share with her nephew during his very brief visit two weeks ago.
"She is seriously ill and surrounded by family members who appreciate the outpouring of love and support they have received."
Despite her condition, the 'Respect' hitmaker's nephew Tim Franklin recently revealed she is in good spirits, although he is worried about her seeing reports which state her death is said to be imminent.
He said: "She's alert, laughing, teasing, able to recognise people.
"Family is there with her. She's home.
"I saw her a week ago Friday and we talked for about 45 minutes to an hour. My brother was there on Saturday and she was alert, talking, laughing, joking.
"She's watching TV, so god forbid she sees all of this 'Aretha's dead,' so I don't want to dampen her spirits on that."
But although friends have disclosed the 'I Say a Little Prayer' singer has "been ill for a long time", her family remain hopeful she will pull through.
Tim added: "She is sick [but her family are] trying to keep her spirits up and go from there.
"We believe she'll pull through it, she believes she'll pull through it, and that's the important thing."
Aretha - whose three siblings all died of cancer - has battled ill health over the last few years and in 2011, denied she was suffering from pancreatic cancer, though she later admitted she'd had a tumour removed.
Last November, she was the subject of a death hoax online but insisted she was "doing well" when she spoke up to deny the reports.
She said: "I'm doing well generally, all test have come back good."
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