Legendary singer Etta James has been hospitalized with issues grasping for air. James was checked into a near her home in Riverside, east of Los Angeles. James’ manager Lupe De-Leon told broke the news to Reuters, “They took her to the hospital. She was having trouble breathing, so they intubated her. She is on a breathing machine and is resting.”
In other Etta James news, a truce in the feud over the estate of terminally ill soul songstress Etta James has finally been reached between her husband and sons Donto and Sametto.
Last week we learned that Mrs. James was diagnosed with a terminal case of chronic leukemia, dementia and kidney problems. Since then her family has been sadly battling over control of her estate as she potentially lay’s on her death bed.
Etta married her current husband, Artis Mills, in 1969. Mills served as stepfather to James’ two sons and conservator of her estate. Recently, Donto James requested that he be appointed as temporary conservator because he and his brother were in conflict with the amount of money Mills requested remain in escrow for Etta’s living expenses.
Mills originally estimated his expenses were roughly $30,000 a month for Etta’s medical care which included a private doctor and a nursing team located at their residence in Riverside’s Woodcrest community.
However, Donto requested his mother be moved to a hospital to insure she was properly diagnosed and thoroughly cared for.
“The only issue is my mother going into the hospital,” Donto James stated, adding; “I begged the doctors to do it this one time to make sure everything is OK.”
Mills originally requested the account maintain a balance of $500,000. Etta’s sons requested a significantly lower amount of $100,000. Ultimately a Riverside County judge decided to leave treatment decisions to Etta’s doctors and settled on a median amount of $350,000.
Hopefully this arrangement signals the end of the feud over Etta’s care and estate. Donto recently released a promising statement which may mean just that.
“Mr. Mills’ aim is to keep her alive as long as possible…That’s my aim too.”