In 2014 my older sister Kathy was hospitalized at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC). She had paralyzed vocal chords for which she had to undergo a lot of speech therapy; at some point she later had to have an esophageal transplant. Her hospital room was on the 5th floor in the children's wing of the hospital. Which is where she met Marshall Thompson.
They became good friends and both elected to remain on the fifth floor to be with the children. At some point she and Marshall cooked pancakes together to serve the children. Here's a portion of an email she sent me from the RIC, which included a picture of Marshall Thompson and her together:
“This is a picture of me with Marshall Thompson, lead singer/composer for the Chi-Lites, Chicago r&b soul band during the Motown ERA. He has 6 songs on the r&b chart right now, including "Crazy in Love," a song he wrote and gave to Beyonce (vs sold). Marshall had a stroke on a Soul Train cruise and was flown to Chicago/Rehab Institute.
“We performed together for all the children on the children's floor. He led us in the Temptations' "My Girl", I led a spelling bee, and read Messy Penny, a first book by dear friend Roopa Patel Weber.
“Marshall asked me to write in my voice about our experience at RIC. I have, but I feel it is embargoed until the fancy NYC biographer rewrites or does not use. The book entitled "Last Man Standing" is due out in May. Like the other r&b singers of that era, he had a big afro and I hear over 350 performance suits in varying colors with matching hats. One cool dude.
“Just by chance, one of the Temptations --original-- stopped by as Marshall and I were doing our exercises. Can it get any better for a gal who was 25-30 and teaching at [a Virginia boarding school] with a great gang of teacher friends during that period? The performance was part of our speech therapy. The children, ages 8 months to 17, with a wide range of serious disabilities, had a great time. I expected ice cream....nope.”
I’ll send you the picture she to me sent via [Twitter]. She also sent a short video of them in the hospital singing “My Girl” from their hospital beds with the children -- sorry, not sending that because of HIPPA. 😥
You’re going to love this. Probably.
In 2014 my older sister Kathy was hospitalized at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC). She had paralyzed vocal chords for which she had to undergo a lot of speech therapy; at some point she later had to have an esophageal transplant. Her hospital room was on the 5th floor in the children's wing of the hospital. Which is where she met Marshall Thompson.
They became good friends and both elected to remain on the fifth floor to be with the children. At some point she and Marshall cooked pancakes together to serve the children. Here's a portion of an email she sent me from the RIC, which included a picture of Marshall Thompson and her together:
“This is a picture of me with Marshall Thompson, lead singer/composer for the Chi-Lites, Chicago r&b soul band during the Motown ERA. He has 6 songs on the r&b chart right now, including "Crazy in Love," a song he wrote and gave to Beyonce (vs sold). Marshall had a stroke on a Soul Train cruise and was flown to Chicago/Rehab Institute.
“We performed together for all the children on the children's floor. He led us in the Temptations' "My Girl", I led a spelling bee, and read Messy Penny, a first book by dear friend Roopa Patel Weber.
“Marshall asked me to write in my voice about our experience at RIC. I have, but I feel it is embargoed until the fancy NYC biographer rewrites or does not use. The book entitled "Last Man Standing" is due out in May. Like the other r&b singers of that era, he had a big afro and I hear over 350 performance suits in varying colors with matching hats. One cool dude.
“Just by chance, one of the Temptations --original-- stopped by as Marshall and I were doing our exercises. Can it get any better for a gal who was 25-30 and teaching at [a Virginia boarding school] with a great gang of teacher friends during that period? The performance was part of our speech therapy. The children, ages 8 months to 17, with a wide range of serious disabilities, had a great time. I expected ice cream....nope.”
I’ll send you the picture she to me sent via [Twitter]. She also sent a short video of them in the hospital singing “My Girl” from their hospital beds with the children -- sorry, not sending that because of HIPPA. 😥