Oprah Winfrey Comments on Passing of Mentor Maya Angelou

As BWW reported earlier today, America's Poet LaureateMaya Angelou has passed away at the age of 86. The poet died last night, May 27th in a Winston-Salem, North Carolina hospital while recovering from an "unexpected ailment". She died surrounded by her family.

Angelou has received more than 30 honorary degrees from universities worldwide. She is perhaps best known for her 1969 book "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", which tells of her life up to the age of seventeen, and brought her international recognition and acclaim.

The poet was set to be honored this Friday, May 30th in Houston where she was going to be given the Beacon of Life Award.

Now, actress and talk show Oprah Winfrey, who considered Angelou her mentor, commented on the iconic poet's passing on her official Facebook page. Her full statement follows:

"I've been blessed to have Maya Angelou as my mentor, mother/sister, and friend since my 20's. She was there for me always, guiding me through some of the most important years of my life. The world knows her as a poet but at the heart of her, she was a teacher. 'When you learn, teach. When you get, give' is one of my best lessons from her.

She won three Grammys, spoke six languages and was the second poet in history to recite a poem at a presidential inauguration. But what stands out to me most about Maya Angelou is not what she has done or written or spoken, it's how she lived her life. She moved through the world with unshakeable calm, confidence and a fierce grace. I loved her and I know she loved me. I will profoundly miss her. She will always be the rainbow in my clouds.

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