Gladys Knight’s son, Shanga Hankerson, claims the legendary singer is showing early signs of dementia, and he’s pointing the finger at her husband, William McDowell, accusing him of elder abuse.
In a candid interview with The Shade Room, Hankerson states that McDowell has been forcing his 80-year-old mother to continue performing despite her health struggles. He alleges that the soul icon, beloved for her angelic voice and warm spirit, is now being pushed to work when she should be resting.
Hankerson states that the situation became so serious that he filed a complaint with North Carolina’s Department of Human Services (DHS) and contacted Adult Protective Services. One incident he shared was especially alarming: last year in Baltimore, Gladys reportedly left her hotel, got lost, and ended up at another one across town. A kind stranger recognized her, took her phone, and called her daughter.
“She’s being made to think she needs to work,” Hankerson told The Shade Room. He also recalled a performance last summer in which Gladys allegedly zoned out and forgot to sing her part, while her background singers continued.
According to Hankerson, his mother’s personality has undergone a change in recent years. The sweet, gracious woman fans have adored for decades is now more easily triggered, especially when she doesn’t know where she is or can’t find her husband.
“I’m extremely concerned about how she’s being handled,” he said, noting that he’s been receiving “frantic” texts from McDowell since filing the complaint.
In text messages Hankerson shared, McDowell allegedly admitted that Gladys has “Sundowner’s Syndrome,” a condition that causes confusion in the evenings, but insisted she is “happy and loved” and just wants “peace.”
McDowell also reportedly warned that sending police or social services could “endanger what she’s trying to maintain” and said he was willing to “support” whatever the family wanted, as long as it didn’t disrupt her current life.
Hankerson claims he and other relatives have been left in the dark about Gladys’s doctor visits and overall health. He insists his actions aren’t about stopping the tour or hurting her career. They’re about protecting her.
“I don’t want to see my mother in the state she’s in,” he said.
Gladys Knight is a music legend whose career spans more than six decades. She’s won Grammys, sold millions of records, and inspired generations. But behind the spotlight, her family is now battling over her care and well-being, a situation that’s raising serious questions about how aging icons are treated in the industry.
