Who is Monica Valentine? Lyric Chanel's mother had barred teen from saying the word 'die'
Lyric Chanel, the 13-year-old who was arguably one of the biggest fans of Cardi B, died on Friday, March 5. Chanel was only 11 when she was diagnosed with a form of brain cancer called anaplastic ependymoma. Over the years, she documented her fight against brain tumors and garnered over 470,000 followers on social media.
Chanel’s personality captured the hearts of artists like Beyoncé and Trae Tha Truth. Last year, Trae told the media that he had heard about Lyric's story and decided to help the family along the way. "Anybody who has been in the presence of Lyric, it just brings you a different type of life. She's very funny, and she's got a character that's out of this world," he said.
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The teenager also received the surprise of a lifetime when Beyoncé sent her flowers after surgery. The card attached read the lyrics to the girl's favorite song, ‘Love On Top’. Cardi B also gave Chanel a shoutout. “I love Lyric, and I am just praying for you guys,” the rapper said. “Hold on, just hold on. The world loves you.”
Who is Monica Valentine?
Chanel grew up in Georgia with her family. On November 27, 2020, Chanel’s mother, Monica Valentine received devastating news during a follow-up regarding her daughter’s 10th brain surgery. Dr. David Sandberg, pediatric neurosurgeon in Houston, Texas, told her that Chanel’s tumor grew back and had spread across various parts of the brain.
Due to her condition, Chanel’s parents -- Valentine and father LaMore Jacks -- have not been able to work; they had to provide 24-hour care for her in addition to their other two children.
In December 2020, Valentine revealed that she had barred Chanel from saying the word “die”. Whenever Lyric brought the subject up, Valentine would rebut with words of affirmation. “She doesn’t say too much that much anymore,” Valentine explained. “She told me, ‘Mom, I don’t want to ‘D’,’ because I told her don’t say ‘die.’ And I said, ‘That’s not going to happen.’”
Valentine said, speaking about when they found out about her cancer: “When I told her she had cancer, it was just like a shock to her. She cried. Not a sobbing cry, but you could see the worry on her face. The tears throughout the week, you know. She was worried. I tried to get her over this fear, to do fear exercises with her. She said that one thing she was worried about is not beating cancer. That’s her fear.”
A GoFundMe for the family at the time of writing this had clocked $182,747 of the $200,000 target it set out to achieve. The money was being raised not just to pay for Lyric's treatment, but also to help Valentine take care of her family in the absence of any employment.