John Amos's Daughter Says She Learned of Her Father's Death Through the Internet, Over a Month After the Fact
"We are devastated and left with many questions about how this happened 45 days ago, learning about it through the media like so many of you."
Published Oct. 2 2024, 12:36 p.m. ET
Acting legend and Good Times and Roots star John Amos passed away this August. He died at 84 and had a storied career with an impressive portfolio under his belt. Many people considered him their Hollywood dad, and he often portrayed a fatherly character who worked his way into the hearts of fans over the decades.
Yet in a tragic twist of events, his daughter didn't learn of his death until 45 days after he passed. After she went on the internet and learned of his passing, John's daughter took to Instagram to express her dismay, shock, and confusion.
John Amos's own daughter didn't learn of his death until 45 days after he died.
"I am without words," John Amos's daughter Shannon Amos wrote on Instagram on Oct. 2. She added, "Our family has received the heartbreaking news that my Dad, John Allen Amos, Jr., transitioned on Aug. 21." But she didn't learn of his passing immediately. Shannon expressed her confusion and hurt, writing, "We are devastated and left with many questions about how this happened 45 days ago, learning about it through the media like so many of you."
The news came to light after her brother, K.C. Amos, released a statement on Oct. 1 that their father had passed away. In the statement sent to People, K.C. wrote, "It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned. He was a man with the kindest heart and a heart of gold … and he was loved the world over."
The statement continued, "Many fans consider him their TV father. He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor.”
A devastated Shannon wrote that this should be a time of mourning, honoring, and celebrating his life, but instead, his family is left navigating the confusion and shock in the wake of his passing. It's an unimaginable scenario that leaves the family's grief in a state of limbo as they try to come to terms with a phase of loss that they missed out on completely.
A family dispute may have led to the lack of information.
Despite the confusion, there may be a simple and heartbreaking reason behind Shannon being kept in the dark: she disagreed strongly with her father's caregiver. In the past year, Shannon had shared on social media that she believed her father was a victim of elder abuse and financial exploitation. And the person in charge of his care? K.C., her brother. According to Shannon, K.C. wasn't providing adequate care to their father.
In May of 2023, Shannon wrote on Instagram that she had received a call from her father, who was hospitalized and in distress. She wrote, "The past two weeks shattered our world. My dad, a victim of elder abuse and financial exploitation. We are collaborating with the Colorado Bureau of Investigations and local authorities, determined to bring the perpetrators to justice."
She continued, "Legal assistance is crucial to ensure their prosecution and protect my father’s future. His home, stripped bare, necessitates a safe space for his return.” She launched a GoFundMe to raise money for his care, but her father said he didn't want the money and that he and his son would provide more information later. John later denied the accusations of elder abuse.
It's an age-old story. One family member is close to an elder and provides their care. Another family member accuses that family member of abusing and exploiting their altered mental state for financial gain. Unfortunately, the truth is often hard to determine, and the end result is often heartbreak and grief.
It's not uncommon for deaths in this scenario to be kept from other family members. Fans offered their condolences and expressed their love for their "Hollywood dad" on Shannon's Instagram, proving that he may be gone but is not forgotten.
