her in the head with his motorcycle helmet. It was rumored that Ruffin also hit Terrell in the head with a hammer, which further complicated her unknown condition. However, this rumor was dispelled in Terrell's Unsung episode. At the time of Terrell's death, she was engaged to Ernest "Ernie" Garrett. He was a doctor at the hospital where she had been treated. Death Because of ongoing complications due to brain cancer, by early 1970, Terrell was using a wheelchair, experienced blindness and hair loss, and weighed only . Following her eighth and final operation on January 21, 1970, Terrell went into a coma. She died on March 16 at the age of 24. Terrell's funeral was held at the Janes Methodist Church in Philadelphia. She was interred at Mount Lawn Cemetery in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania. At the funeral, Gaye delivered a final eulogy while "You're All I Need to Get By" was playing. According to Terrell's fiancé Dr. Ernest "Ernie" Garrett, who knew Gaye, her mother angrily barred everyone at Motown from her funeral, except for Gaye, whom she felt was Terrell's closest friend. She blamed most of the label from failing to protect her from David Ruffin during their relationship. Gaye never fully got over Terrell's death, according to several biographers who have stated that Terrell's death led Gaye to depression and drug abuse. In addition, Gaye's classic album What's Going On, an introspective, low-key work that dealt with mature themes, released in 1971, was in part a reaction to Terrell's death. Awards and nominations Terrell and Marvin Gaye were nominated for Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance, Vocal or Instrumental for their song "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" at the 10th Annual Grammy Awards in 1968. The song was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. Discography Studio albums Side A is by Terrell, side B is by Jackson Compilation albums Singles Credited to Tammy Montgomery. See also List of notable brain tumor patients Notes References Further reading Ritz, David. Divided Soul: the Life of Marvin Gaye (2003 edition, ) Whitall, Susan. For the Record: Women of Motown (1998, ) External links [ Tammi Terrell] at Allmusic 1945 births 1970 deaths 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers African-American women singers American soul singers American women pop singers Burials in Pennsylvania Checker Records artists Deaths from brain cancer in the United States Deaths from cancer