What happened to Iyanla Vanzant’s daughter?

Inspirational speaker Iyanla Vanzant has had her fair share of tragedy. In 2003, Vanzant’s daughter, Gemmia, died from colon cancer at the age of 32, and in July 2023, Vanzant announced on Instagram that Vanzant’s daughter, Nisa, passed away at age 49.

In her post, Iyanla wrote, “It is with great sorrow that we announce the transition of Nisa Vanzant the youngest daughter of our Beloved Iyanla Vanzant we are asking for your prayers. Please respect the privacy of her and her family at this time. Thank you.”

At that time, Iyanla asked for privacy. Since then, though, have we learned what happened to Nisa?

Nisa’s cause of death is unknown

Whether they’re famous or not, a grieving parent, of course, has every right to keep details of a loved one’s death private, and so far, no further information related to Iyanla Vanzant’s daughter Nisa’s death has been released to the media.

Comments Iyanla made after her daughter Gemmia’s death, however, do offer some insight into what that grief was like for Iyanla. Speaking with Hoda Kotb on the Making Space podcast in 2021, Vanzant said:

“God must’ve really, really trusted me to give me a soul to bring into life and to trust me with the courage to send her out” (via People).

In the Kotb interview, Iyanla also mentioned how journaling helped manage the pain of her daughter’s loss.

Iyanla opened up to Tamron Hall

Since Iyanla Vanzant’s daughter, Nisa, died in July 2023, the author and inspirational speaker did refer to Nisa’s passing on the Tamron Hall Show, implying that aspects of Nisa’s private life may have played a part in her death, but reading too much between the lines is mere speculation.

Speaking with Hall in Nov. 2023, Iyanla said:

“All children bring to life the subconscious issues of the parent. That child lives in your body. That child knows you from the inside out. That child has heard your voice, your secret thoughts. When you give birth to a daughter, she’s bringing to life those things that you hold inside that you may not even know that are there and she’s gonna show ‘em to you in how she shows up in the world” (via BET).

Iyanla began her career as a public defender before she rose to fame in the 1990s with guest appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Since then, she’s had two talk shows, Iyanla and Iyanla: Fix My Life, and written several books. She has one surviving son named Damon, who was 53 when Nisa died.