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From Jim Cantiello:
Sad news in "Idol" Land. Elliott Yamin's mom, Claudette, passed away last night at the age of 65 in Richmond, VA.
Ask any Elliott fan and they'll tell you: It wasn't just his silky smooth vocals and appealing can-do attitude that they fell in love with. It was also his adorable mother, Claudette. Week after week, despite being ill, Claudette sat in the "Idol" audience beaming as her scrappy son wowed the judges and viewers alike with pitch-perfect performances.
At the time, Claudette claimed she had no idea her son could sing that well until a year prior. So with each week's song came a priceless Claudette reaction that was part surprise, part relief and one-hundred-percent pride. As we, the viewers, fell in love with Elliott's talent, we watched his mom fall in love, too.
My personal favorite Claudette memory came during Elliott's Hometown Visit segment. Riding with her son in a convertible during a parade, Claudette was overwhelmed with emotion as thousands of local Richmond fans came out to cheer on Elliott. Her breakdown was one of the most touching and honest "Idol" moments in over seven years of the show.
During his "Idol" run, Elliott talked about his mom being sick, but he never went into specifics. According to this local news report, Claudette had been struggling with complications from gastric bypass surgery for years, although no details surrounding her passing have been released to the public at this time.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Elliott and his siblings. I'll be wearing a very special t-shirt in her honor on Thursday's edition of "Idol in 60 Seconds."
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