Muni Long is feeling grateful for the love and support she has received since revealing she had a life-saving double lung transplant last year.
The Grammy Award-winning R&B singer-songwriter, who has the autoimmune disease lupus, revealed on Good Morning America last week that she was told she had one week to live unless she had a double lung transplant in November.
On the red carpet at the BET Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, the 37-year-old told Entertainment Tonight that she felt grateful to be “surrounded by love” following her announcement.
“It’s been a battle but I’m here. I’m grateful,” she began. “I have a wonderful family and team, support around me, loved ones, friends… My young son, he’s so positive. ‘Mommy, how’re you feeling today? You’re so beautiful.’ I’m just surrounded by love, so I feel fantastic.”
Addressing the public reaction to her health news, Muni shared, “I think sometimes it takes almost losing someone to realise how much you actually care and so I’m grateful that now people are unafraid to tell me how they feel.”
She continued, “Because a lot of times, you know, I didn’t feel it. I would walk into a room and no one would speak. And now everybody is just like, ‘Oh my gosh, we love you, thank you for sharing your story. You’re so brave.’ I think it created a sense of connection and community. So, I’m grateful.”
The Hrs and Hrs singer, real name Priscilla Hamilton, also told The Hollywood Reporter that she was “feeling good”, living a much healthier lifestyle and taking her face mask and hand sanitiser with her everywhere.
During her appearance on Good Morning America, Muni explained that she contracted pneumonia while supporting Brandy and Monica on The Boy Is Mine Tour and had to withdraw from several dates. She woke up in the hospital around Thanksgiving and was informed that she needed to undergo the life-saving transplant.
