When the news broke on November 19, 2017, that Della Reese had passed away, it felt like the world lost a bit of its warmth. She wasn't just another Hollywood actress; she was "Tess," the tough-loving, gospel-singing mentor from Touched by an Angel who convinced a generation that maybe, just maybe, someone was looking out for them. She was 86 when she died at her home in Los Angeles, surrounded by her family. But even though she lived a long, legendary life, there’s always been some confusion about what actually took her from us.
Honestly, if you look at the official reports from that time, you won’t find a single, dramatic "smoking gun" listed as the cause of death. Her co-star and "adoptive" daughter Roma Downey released a beautiful statement, but it didn't dive into the clinical details.
Instead, the Della Reese cause of death is really a story of a long-term battle with Type 2 diabetes and the gradual, quiet toll it takes on the human body over decades.
The Reality Behind the Passing of a Legend
Della didn't just wake up sick one day. She had been dealing with serious health hurdles for years, and most of them stemmed from a diagnosis she received back in the late 1990s.
It actually happened in a really scary way. She was on the set of Touched by an Angel, filming a scene, when she suddenly collapsed. She described it later as feeling like something hit her on the head so hard she had to sit down. She was rushed to the hospital, and that's when the doctors dropped the bombshell: her blood sugar was through the roof.
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We’re talking levels around 350 to 500. For context, a normal fasting blood sugar level is usually under 100. She was basically walking around in a state of medical emergency without even knowing it.
A History of Fighting Back
You’ve gotta admire her grit. Once she knew what she was facing, Della didn't just curl up. She became a massive advocate for diabetes awareness, especially in the Black community where the disease hits particularly hard.
- She lost about 20 to 30 pounds almost immediately.
- She swapped out the "comfort foods" she loved for a stricter regimen.
- She became a spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association.
- She openly talked about how she used to "eat her feelings" when she was bored or stressed on the road.
But diabetes is a "silent killer" for a reason. Even when you manage it well, it puts an incredible amount of stress on your heart, your kidneys, and your circulation. By the time she reached her mid-80s, her body was simply tired. In the final years, she was often seen using a wheelchair. While the family maintained her privacy, it was clear to those close to her that the complications from her diabetes were finally catching up.
The Aneurysm That Almost Ended It Decades Earlier
Some people get confused and think she died of a stroke or a brain issue because of a famous incident back in 1979.
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She was guest-hosting The Tonight Show for Johnny Carson—the first Black woman to ever do that, by the way—and she was right in the middle of singing "Pieces of Dreams." Suddenly, she hit a "horrible note," her body started twitching, and she collapsed on live television.
It was a brain aneurysm.
The doctors gave her a 10% chance of surviving the surgery. She beat those odds. She actually called that brain explosion "one of the best things that ever happened" because it forced her to face her mortality and deepened her faith. But it also meant her cardiovascular system had been through the wringer long before the diabetes diagnosis even showed up.
Why We Still Talk About Della's Health Today
The reason the Della Reese cause of death remains a topic of conversation isn't just morbid curiosity. It’s because she was so incredibly open about it. She didn't want people to just remember her as a singer or an actress; she wanted them to stay alive.
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She used to say, "Do you want another piece of fried chicken, or do you want to keep your legs?" That’s about as blunt as it gets.
When she passed in November 2017, it wasn't a sudden tragedy or a shocking accident. It was the peaceful conclusion to a life that had been fought for, inch by inch, through various health crises. Her heart eventually gave out after years of managing the systemic strain that Type 2 diabetes causes.
Lessons from Della’s Journey
If you’re looking for a takeaway from how Della handled her health, it’s mostly about the "middle ground." She didn't claim to be perfect. She admitted she loved food and hated exercising. But she also realized that "knowing is power."
- Get the blood work done. Della had no idea she was diabetic until she collapsed. Routine checks could have caught it years earlier.
- Listen to the "weird" symptoms. That sudden, crushing headache she felt on the stairs? That was her body screaming for help.
- Advocate for yourself. Della once noted that because she was a Black woman in entertainment, some early doctors assumed her symptoms were drug-related rather than checking her blood sugar. She had to push for real answers.
Actionable Insights for Longevity
Della Reese’s life was a masterclass in resilience, but her death is a reminder of the importance of metabolic health. If you or someone you love is managing similar issues, here are the non-negotiables:
- Monitor your A1C levels regularly. This gives you a three-month average of your blood sugar, which is way more accurate than a single "snapshot" test.
- Focus on inflammation. Long-term diabetes causes systemic inflammation, which is what eventually leads to the heart failure or organ issues that cause death in elderly patients.
- Build a support squad. Della credited her husband, Franklin Lett, and her "Angel" family for keeping her going. You can't manage chronic illness in a vacuum.
Della Reese left behind a massive legacy—gospel hits, a trailblazing talk show, and a television series that touched millions. She died peacefully at 86 because she fought for those extra years. She took a 10% survival chance and turned it into nearly four more decades of life. That’s the real story.