‘The Voice’ Alum Lauren Duski’s Mother Dies: ‘Said Goodbye to My Best Friend’

Singer Lauren Duski is mourning the death of her mother Janis, who passed away on Friday at 59.

Duski, the runner-up on Season 12 of “The Voice,” indicated that her mother died by suicide as she touched on mental health in an Instagram post honoring her mom.

Lauren wrote, in part, “Said goodbye to my best friend and hero this past Friday. My mom was the greatest human I’ve ever known. There was no one who loved harder.  She offered her entire being — heart and soul to everyone she encountered and always held up the mirror to remind you of how wonderful and special you were. She set the bar above the moon. She adored her family and her grandchildren.”

Duski called her mom an “endless dreamer” and “absolute powerhouse.”

Listing her many accomplishments, she continued, “Top of her class AND president in dental school. Served as a captain in the United States Air Force. She pioneered the Wolverine Patriot Project alongside the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and made it her mission to provide oral health care to disabled and homeless Michigan military veterans.”

She fondly shared that her mom’s nickname was “Yoda” because of her “endless wisdom, energy, wit, and humor.”

Duski said her mom “loved to spend time exploring and road tripping across country with just a road map… She saw God in everyone and everything.”

Including a message to Janis, she wrote, “Mom, you are infinitely loved. I will miss you every second of every day. I still don’t know how the hell I’m supposed to do this without you. I will thank God every day for our 32 years together and see you every time I look in that mirror.”

Turning to mental health, she went on, “I’ve been feeling the most violent pull in my heart to remind you to please talk to one another. If you’re struggling, do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Your mental health is nothing to be ashamed of and neither is talking about it. We are all trying to navigate this beautiful, messy life. I’ve learned that even the strongest humans have a breaking point. Be patient and gentle with yourself. Minute by minute. Please do not lose hope. Trust in God. There is always another chance…and there will never be another you.”

Duski insisted, “We have the opportunity to save a generation and beyond. Say ‘I love you’ every chance you get. Don’t wait. You never know the true impact you have on those around you.”