‘The Voice’ Alum’s Mom Dies In Apparent Suicide
Singer and songwriter Lauren Duski competed on the reality competition show “The Voice” during season 12. She was a runner-up that season.
In a heartfelt and heartbreaking Instagram post, Lauren is sharing some devastating news. Her mother, Janis, has died, and she eludes to it being a suicide. Janis was 59 years old.
Lauren posted a carousel of photos, the first of which features Lauren standing with her mom sitting beside her, her arm around her daughter’s shoulder. Both women smile at the camera. Alongside the photos, Lauren shared the sad news of her mother’s death and some of her favorite things about her mom.
Lauren wrote, “Said goodbye to my best friend and hero this past Friday. My mom was the greatest human I’ve ever known. There was no one who loved harder. She offered her entire being — heart and soul to everyone she encountered and always held up the mirror to remind you of how wonderful and special you were.”
According to Lauren, Janis “adored her family and her grandchildren” and “was an endless dreamer.” She also described her mother as a “powerhouse” and explained that her family called her “Yoda” because of “her endless wisdom, energy, wit, and humor.”
Janis was a captain in the Air Force and the president in dental school. In addition, “She pioneered the Wolverine Patriot Project alongside the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and made it her mission to provide oral health care to disabled and homeless Michigan military veterans.”
After listing her mother’s accomplishments and admirable qualities, Lauren switched gears and eluded to her mother’s death being a suicide. She wrote, “I wasn’t planning on sharing this but these last few days I’ve been feeling the most violent pull in my heart to remind you to please talk to one another. If you’re struggling, do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Your mental health is nothing to be ashamed of and neither is talking about it.”
She also wrote directly to her mom, telling her, “Mom, you are infinitely loved. I will miss you every second of every day. I still don’t know how the hell I’m supposed to do this without you. I will thank God every day for our 32 years together and see you you every time I look in that mirror.”
