Lady Gaga opens up about losing her best friend to cancer

‘I vow to be a little stronger everyday for her because that’s what she would have wanted’

(Image credit: Rex Features (Shutterstock))

‘I vow to be a little stronger everyday for her because that’s what she would have wanted’

Lady Gaga’s close friend, Sonja Durham, lost her battle with stage IV cancer last Friday, leaving behind her husband Andre and her stepson Sante.

Taking to her Instagram, Lady Gaga posted an emotional tribute to her best friend, opening up about the feeling of loss, celebrating her friendship with Sonja and comforting others in a similar situation.

‘I don't know how to put a price on a friendship. I'm not even sure how you can assess the size of its meaning, only really your heart truly knows and it's too special for words’, the 31-year-old singer captioned her post.

A photo posted by on

‘I feel two competing feelings. Firstly, that I will live everyday with more passion, more determination, more compassion and more giving than ever before. Because that's who she was, and it's what drew us to each other, and I know it's what she always wanted for me. She had this incredible way of releasing me from the anchor of my own sadness that held me back, she loved me fearlessly while I learned how to cope with fame and stay inspired no matter how scared I was. She knew all I cared about was the music. She made that ok.’

‘The other feeling I have is that of being robbed of the last 10 years of my life, friendship and career with her. Like someone took her from us, and with that taking took all the good times. I know that's not true, and I know that I have those memories forever, I'm just in shock that I will never have new ones with her. I'm in shock that I won't see her again until I pass too.’

She continued: ‘I vow to be a little stronger everyday for her because that's what she would have wanted, I vow to be stronger for anyone who's lost somebody to cancer. I'm a part of that family now. I vow to be a warrior for her and be a voice for cancer patients so the world can continue to improve the dialogue and the fight.’

Concluding the post, she wrote, ‘I loved her. I still love her. And I love so much her husband Andre, stepson Sante, and friends. I made them some food yesterday. I will keep cooking. Cooking my soul until it understands this.’

A photo posted by on

She later took to her Instagram account to post a photo of food packages that she had prepared for her late friend’s husband to help him through the difficult time. She captioned the post: ‘For Sonja’s husband Andre. Take care of those who you love who are suffering. I think it helps us all to survive.’

The singer posted about her friend’s bravery last week, uploading a photo of her and her husband Andre.

A photo posted by on

‘Watching one of my best friends in the world show unfathomable courage, strength, and positivity while battling cancer has really changed my life’, she captioned the photo. ‘Thank you Sonja for inspiring me and all of us everyday with your joy. I love you so much it brings tears to my eyes just to think of all the years we've spent together backstage running the show, taking care of each other.’

She continued: ‘You are one of a kind. I'm so proud of you. And you and Andre, your unbreakable beautiful love is what life is all about. You can see it in this photo. Wanted to share this with the world and show them what true beauty looks like. I love you girl. I love you so much.’

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.