Roberta Flavck, the R&B singer best known for hits as Killing Me Softly and The First Time Ever I saw Your Face, has died aged 88.
Flack passed away “peacefully surrounded by her family” on the morning of February 2025, her representatives said.
While it is unconfirmed how the iconic singer died, it was announced in 2022 that she had been diagnosed with ALS, which had left her unable to sing.
But what exactly is ALS?
What is ALS?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurological disease affecting a person’s nerve cells which are responsible for helping to control voluntary muscle movement.
These muscles contract and relax under conscious control and include movement, such as chewing, talking, or walking.
It is estimated that there are around 5,000 people with ALS in the UK at any one time.
“For about 90 per cent of all cases, there’s no known family history of the disease or presence of a genetic mutation linked to ALS,” says the ALS Association, where you can find support for the condition.
It adds: “For five to 10 per cent of all cases, there’s a known family history of the disease. This is often called familial ALS.”
Early symptoms of ALS
Is there a cure for ALS?
There is currently no cure for ALS.
The disease is progressive, meaning that symptoms get worse over time.
However, there are medications that have proven helpful in slowing the progression of ALS and extending the life of those who have been diagnosed with the disease. They can also help prevent complications and make patients more comfortable and independent.
