Things are looking up for Brandi Maxiell, 37, just days after her sister Jayde Penn confirmed the news that she had been hospitalized with a severe case of COVID. DJ Duffey (real name LaTosha Duffey), who was a castmate of Brandi’s on BBW‘s sister series in Los Angeles for one season in 2016, revealed a crucial update about her situation on September 30. “Brandi will be home soon!,” she wrote on an Instagram story above the mother-of-one looking fierce in a bright yellow dress. “Thank you for all your prayers and concerns.”
DJ Duffey was the first one to drop hints on the issue when she posted a cryptic IG message on September 26 asking fans to “uplift” Brandi “in prayer”. Fans didn’t know what was going on until Jayde later revealed details about her situation. Several other BBW alum, including Mehgan James, Jackie Christie and Jennifer Williams then followed suit by wishing her a speedy recovery amid this difficult time in her life.
Brandi is a survivor in every sense of the word. She was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer at the age of 24. It was something she not only eventually beat but talked about during her time on the long-running VH1 reality series.
“I’m so blessed to beat this terrible disease and I didn’t let it defeat me!!! 2007-2008 was THE most difficult challenging time of my life,” she wrote on Instagram last year. “But I didn’t give up, I fought hard, stayed strong, stayed faithful & prayed up… and I SURVIVED.”
She has, in the years since, become quite successful outside of her time on television. Brandi is a boss lady by running two separate businesses: a cosmetics line named after her and a salon that she operates in Carrolton, Texas.
She’s one of many celebrities who have been unfortunately diagnosed with COVID over the past couple of months. Other stars who have contracted it include Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Andy Cohen and Robert Pattinson.