Do we know ‘Killing Me Softly’ singer Roberta Flack’s cause of death?

Roberta Flack, who was diagnosed with a serious nervous system disease in 2022, has died at the age of 88. 

The passing of the iconic R&B singer was confirmed by a representative through a statement issued via Variety. No cause of death was mentioned. 

“We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning, February 24, 2025. She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator,” read the statement. 

However, The New York Times reported that Flack died after suffering a heart attack. The singer’s friend and manager Suzzaner Koga told the outlet that she was rushed to the hospital, but she eventually did not make it. 

So sad to hear of Roberta Flack’s passing. One of the great soul singers of all time. Rest well, Ms. Flack. Your legacy lives on!!! pic.twitter.com/0llBa6VXID

— Jennifer Hudson (@IAMJHUD) February 24, 2025

In November 2022, we reported about Flack’s struggles after getting diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. 

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the condition is fatal since it progresses through time and there is no known cure for it. Nevertheless, the disease typically does not affect mental functioning and the senses. It’s also known to affect people between 40 and 70. 

The most common early symptoms of ALS — also called Lou Gehrig’s disease — include trouble swallowing and or slurred speech. As the nerve condition progresses, other symptoms manifest, such as muscle twitching in the limbs, cramps, loss of motor control, tripping and falling, severe fatigue, and paralysis. 

Based on scientific research, the condition can increase the risk of a heart attack, with statistical data not ruling out sudden cardiac death among people living with ALS. 

When Flack publicly announced her diagnosis three years ago, she admitted that the condition had robbed her of the ability to sing. The Grammy-winning artist was mostly known for her hit songs “Killing Me Softly With His Song” and “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” The latter was what catapulted her to instant fame after it was used in Clint Eastwood’s 1971 film Play Misty for Me. 

Roberta Flack has passed away at the age of 88 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/RH6IFgWhAs

— 🎸 Rock History 🎸 (@historyrock_) February 24, 2025

Two years later, the smash hit was followed by her next chart-topper, “Killing Me Softly.” Both songs received the Grammy for Record of the Year, making Flack the first artist to ever secure a back-to-back win of the coveted award, according to Variety. 

Her third song titled “Where Is The Love,” which she recorded with Donny Hathaway, continued her streak on the charts. She’s made other hit slow-burning style tracks in the years that followed. However, her massive fame dwindled at the end of the ‘70s and as new music styles became the trend. 

Despite no longer topping charts, Flack continued her career in singing and even released her final album in 2012, Let It Be Roberta.

In 2016, she took some time off after suffering a stroke to focus on her recovery. Two years later, she released her final track, “Running,” which was featured in the documentary film 3100: Run and Become, according to The Guardian. 

Flack was married to bassist Steven Novosel in 1966. However, they divorced in 1972. She went on to remarry, but that ended in divorce as well. The late singer had a son named Bernard Wright, who died in 2022.