Oprah Winfrey Remembers Her Mentor Maya Angelou
"She will always be the rainbow in my clouds," Winfrey wrote.
May 28, 2014 -- Maya Angelou had a profound effect on many celebrities, but perhaps no one more than Oprah Winfrey.
Winfrey remembered the poet hours after Angelou died in Winston-Salem, N.C. at the age of 86, calling her "my mentor, mother/sister and friend."
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"She was there for me always, guiding me through some of the most important years of my life," Winfrey wrote. "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."
Angelou, who is survived by a son, is remembered by her many contributions to the world of literature.
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"She won three Grammys, spoke six languages and was the second poet in history to recite a poem at a presidential inauguration," Winfrey wrote.
The former talk show host, 60, explained that what she'll remember most about her friend was "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," she recalled. "I will profoundly miss her. She will always be the rainbow in my clouds."