Real Housewives' Kandi Burruss on Fiancé's Death: "He Was Taken Too Soon"

Real Housewives of Atlanta star releases statement day after the shocking killing of Ashley "A.J." Jewell

By Megan Masters Oct 05, 2009 4:10 AMTags
Kandi Burruss, Ashley JewellPrince Williams/Getty Images

A day after the tragic death of on-off fiancé Ashley "A.J." Jewell, Real Housewives of Atlanta songstress Kandi Burruss is speaking out on her heartbreak.

"I am devastated by the loss of A.J. His death comes on the heels of the death of my beloved Uncle Ralph and with both of them gone, my heart is heavy with grief," she said in a statement to E! News.

"I had spoken to A.J. two hours before I got the call that he was in the hospital. Never in a thousand years did I think it was going to be the last time I heard his voice. He was taken way too soon. There are so many things that I should have said to him, wanted to say to him, but now it's too late..."

Burruss, a Grammy-winning songwriter and performer, asks for prayers for A.J.'s six children and expresses her immeasurable gratitude for the outpouring of support over the past 24 hours.

"I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of my family and friends—and that means my Twitter and Facebook friends as well—for the beautiful words of encouragement, prayers, and the sweet condolences. I make it through these difficult days because of you," she continues.

A.J., a recurring figure on the hit Bravo series, was killed Saturday morning after sustaining head injuries in a brawl outside an Atlanta strip club. A suspect is in police custody.

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