John Amos’ Publicist Explains Why Actor Wanted A Delayed Death Announcement To Family Members As His Final Wish

The news of John Amos‘ passing was announced earlier this week, shocking many many fans, colleagues, and even his own family members. In the midst of honoring the actor’s life and successful career, the people who were close to him are also speaking about the circumstances that surrounded his death.

The late actor’s “collective family and close friends,” including his daughter Shannon Amos and goddaughter Amy Goudy, issued a statement on Facebook on Oct. 2 that cast an air of doubt about the details of his passing. The statement called out his son Kelly Christopher “K.C.” Amos for his alleged treatment of his father during his final days, and revealed Shannon and others had to learn about his passing on social media 45 days afterward.

Belinda Foster, John’s longtime publicist, who was also named in Goudy’s statement, issued a detailed statement shared with PEOPLE on Oct. 3 that told a different perspective about how things played out. She claims her client’s final wish was to delay the announcement of his passing because he did not want Shannon to “turn his death and interment into a circus,” among other reasons.

“I represented John Amos for over 30 years as his publicist of record,” Foster said. “The media knows this along with John’s agencies of record. Over the years we grew close to one another to the point of a familial relationship. In the last few years, he often referred to me as his ‘daughter.’ This was not a fraud by John, K.C., or myself. He was like a father to me. I deeply mourn his passing.”

“Shannon’s claims that John was abused are false,” Foster continued. “K.C., Eugene and I, along with numerous others cared for him. On several occasions when Shannon claimed that he was abused, law enforcement authorities sat with John and confirmed his well being.”

Goudy’s statement also alleged that K.C., Eugene Brummet, and Foster “isolated the actor from his loved ones despite their repeated attempts to maintain contact.” However, in Foster’s statement, she explains that there was a legal reason why K.C. did not reach out.

“At the time of John’s passing, K.C. was under a strict no-contact order from the Superior Court of New Jersey based on the Complaint that his sister Shannon brought against him in 2023,” she said. “As a condition of his Pretrial Release, K.C. is precluded from making any contact with Shannon directly or indirectly by phone, social media, or any method of communication,”

Foster also said it was the Good Times actor who requested a delayed death announcement to his family members as one of his final wishes. He did so to alleviate the “circus” Shannon might turn the death news into, as she has done in the past with other events, according to the statement.

“At the time of his death, John was concerned that Shannon might turn his death and interment into a circus as she had done with other aspects of his life… It was John who requested the delay in announcing his death to Shannon and the rest of the world,” Foster added.

Foster concluded, “For the sake of preserving John’s well-earned reputation as a superb actor and a community activist, we hope we can put to rest these nonsensical claims that Shannon is offering out of her own pain as a result of estrangement from her father.”