Donna died in Florida aged 63 after a long battle with lung cancer.
She had been in her nearby apartment when the deadly cloud containing asbestos, lead and mercury, filled the sky after the al-Qaeda jet hijack atrocity in 2001.
And she is thought to have believed that breathing it triggered her cancer. Speaking of her trauma, devout Christian, Donna, once said: “I was really freaked out by the horrific experiences of that day.
“I couldn’t go out, I didn’t want to talk to anybody. I had to keep the blinds down and stay in my bedroom. I went to church and light came back into my soul. That heaviness was gone.”
Donna also had a premonition fanatics would target New York a month before it happened.
She recalled in 2008: “My husband and I were walking down the street. I had this feeling. I said, ‘Honey, I feel like terrorism, high on top of the buildings.’
“I knew something was going to happen. When it did, I flipped out.”
The attacks killed around 3,000 people on the day. But the toxic legacy of 9/11 is still claiming lives more than ten years later.
It is believed that around 1,000 people exposed to the dust have died - 350 of them from cancer.
And cancer rates among police officers who attended the scene have tripled. Another study found 60,720 people were at risk after inhaling dust and fumes.
Dr John Howard, the 9/11 Federal Health Director, said: “I think it is plausible that many people will die of the many conditions we’ve seen due to their exposure.”
Yesterday tributes poured in for the Queen of Disco credited with defining the dance music era of the 1970s, influencing British acts like Duran Duran, David Bowie and the late Whitney Houston.
Her family said in a statement: “Early this morning, surrounded by family, we lost Donna Summer Sudano, a woman of many gifts, the greatest being her faith.
“While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy. Words truly can’t express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitive time.”
Among those paying tribute were President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle. The president released a statement saying, “Michelle and I were saddened to hear about the passing of Donna Summer. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Donna truly was the 'Queen of Disco.’
“Her voice was unforgettable, and the music industry has lost a legend far too soon. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Donna’s family and her dedicated fans.”
X Factor judge Gary Barlow called her death “a massive loss to us all”. Kylie Minogue, referencing Donna’s hit, Bad Girls, wrote on Twitter: “One of my earliest musical inspirations. RIP Donna Summer #BadGirlsForEver.”
Legendary producer Quincy Jones tweeted: “Rest in Peace dear Donna Summer. Your voice was the heartbeat and soundtrack of a decade.”
TV star Kelly Osbourne wrote: “The Queen of Disco may have passed on but Donna Summer’s legacy will live on forever! Tonight my last dance is in honour of you!”
Singer, Rihanna, wrote: “RIP Donna Summer, Queen of Disco.”
Janet Jackson tweeted: “We will miss Donna Summer! She changed the world of music with her beautiful voice and incredible talent.”
And disco pop band, Scissor Sisters dedicated their forthcoming show to their idol. They tweeted: “We’ll be doing it for Donna!!”
Donna, one of seven children, started singing gospel in her hometown Boston.
After teaming up with producer Giorgio Moroder, she exploded on to the pop scene in 1975 with her track, Love To Love You Baby. The song featured a 23-second fake orgasm which got it banned on radio and by the BBC.
But DJs played the record in clubs around the globe where it became an instant hit.
Her powerful style and glamorous looks made her a megastar - and she became a gay icon. But in the mid-1980s she fell foul of the homosexual community when she allegedly made anti-gay comments about AIDS.
Donna was alleged to have said the epidemic was a punishment from God. She later denied making the comments. But the incident had a negative impact on her career.
In the late 1980s she teamed up with the Stock Aitken Waterman hit-making team. Pete Waterman said his abiding memory was of “a lovely person”. He said: “Whenever you were with her she made you feel so special. She had all the talent but she gave you all the credit. She was not a diva in any shape or form.”
He added: “She was in the wilderness. They warned us against working with her because of the anti-gay thing. But what a voice she had. She used to warm up in the ladies’ toilet and everyone in the building would stop. It would come to a standstill.”
Donna was a five-times Grammy winner. The track Hot Stuff won her a whole new fan base in the UK when it featured in smash 1997 Brit flick The Full Monty. She was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums top the US Billboard chart and scored four No1 singles in the US in 13 months.
Her stage name was adopted after she married Austrian actor, Helmut Sommer, in 1973.
The union broke down in 1975 but she kept an altered version of his surname. She then married Brooklyn Dreams musician, Bruce Sudano in 1980. They had two daughters, Brooklyn in 1981 and Amanda the following year.
No comments:
Post a Comment