Award-winning queer actor Billy Porter just announced the passing of his Mother, Cloerinda Jean Johnson Porter-Ford, at the age of 79.
via: EW
In a touching tribute shared on his social media on Thursday, complete with photos and videos of his family, Porter shared, "With heavy hearts we announce the passing of our loving mother, Cloerinda Jean Johnson Porter-Ford. We were right beside her when she took her last breath, wrapped in our arms."
The Pose star said that his mother "lived life to the fullest despite physical limitations pressed upon her." "She was the personification of true Christianity and her unconditional love is a template that the world could benefit from employing. Her example is what we continue to strive for," he wrote.
According to ET, Porter previously shared in his 2021 memoir that his mother was diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disorder when he was young, which led to her using a wheelchair later in life.
The tribute continued, "We are heartbroken she is no longer here with us, but find solace that her suffering has ended. Her fight was long and hard — she did it with grace and integrity. Mommy will remain forever in our hearts as she continues to guide us from above, as she has done on this Earth. From Labor to Reward…"
As the pictures in Porter's post how, his mother frequently attended industry events with her son. Back in January, Porter honored his mother with a birthday celebration, which he commemorated on social media with another carousel of pictures, which he captioned at the time, "We are so grateful to have our beautiful mother with us for another turn around the sun. Please hold your loved ones close. We love you, Mommy!"