Jennifer Hudson stunned fans and spectators when she agreed to sing the Star Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl XLIII just three months after the heinous slayings of her mother, only brother and nephew in October 2008.
It was unfathomable to think she would resurface and sing so soon after the tragedy. The American Idol alumni had been in hiding of sorts mourning the unthinkable loss of three family members all in the span of one day.
Hudson credits her dead brother’s voice for giving her the strength to continue.
The Weight Watchers front woman of the moment is set to sit down with Lester Holt of NBC’s Dateline to discuss love and loss: her family’s tragedy and the love of her life, David Otunga.
“I felt as though I had to,” Hudson tells Holt. “Just the same as I hear my mother’s voice in my head, I can hear my brother’s voice in my head. And he– they, like, everybody, it’s like, is she ever gonna sing again? Is she gonna– you know? And what was I gonna say to that– I could hear him, like, ‘Jennifer–‘ he would always say, ‘Knock it off, Jenny,’ if I was cryin’ about somethin’ or if I was upset, discouraged, mad, ‘Jenny, knock it off.’ That’s what I hear in my head. And it’s like, ‘Okay, well, what they want me to do? I can either just sit here and mope around, or do what I know that would make them proud.’ And that’s what I did.”
Jennifer is moving forward in many aspects of her life. After the birth of her son, David Otunga, Jr., Jennifer teamed up with Weight Watchers and has shed a whopping 80 pounds—so far. If Jennifer’s recent appearance at VH1 Divas is an indicator, she may be tilting the scale even more in the opposite direction. And now with her whole new outlook on life and love Jennifer will no doubt look gorgeous in her wedding gown. Despite battling rumors of a split Hudson dished to Lester that she’s purposely keeping the details around her wedding date a secret.
“Oh, we’ve set the date. We’re just not telling. … No, not telling. Some things you keep to yourself.”
That’s right, we would hate to see Jennifer join the circus that is Hollywood love. Watch Jennifer talk more about her wedding on Dateline, Sunday night at 7pm.
