It was announced on Wednesday morning that poet and essayist Maya Angelou died at the age of 86, according to TMZ. Angelou died in Winston-Salem, North Carolina while attempting to recover from an unknown sickness. A call was made to 911 at 7:39 a.m. to report a death. Angelou passed surrounded by family members.
Just yesterday, Angelou posted on Facebook that doctors told her not to travel. This caused her to cancel a trip to Houston. She was going to be honored with the Beacon of Life Award at the Civil Rights Game for Major League Baseball on Friday.
Angelou has been awarded more than 30 honorary degrees from universities around the world. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.
Around 8:10 a.m. PT on Wednesday morning, the family of Angelou posted the following on the poet’s Facebook page:
“Dr. Maya Angelou passed quietly in her home before 8:00 a.m. EST. Her family is extremely grateful that her ascension was not belabored by a loss of acuity or comprehension. She lived a life as a teacher, activist, artist and human being. She was a warrior for equality, tolerance and peace. The family is extremely appreciative of the time we had with her and we know that she is looking down upon us with love.”
President Barack Obama called Angelou “one of the brightest lights of our time. Michelle and I will always cherish the time we were privileged to spend with Maya.”