Like many, I too, have gotten sucked into the drama that is The Real Housewives of Atlanta. This is the only reality show on my guilty pleasures list. As much as the ladies leave me scratching my head most of the time, they also humor me, so I've been hooked since the first season. I was disappointed to learn that DeShawn Snow wouldn't be returning for the second season. Her mellow lifestyle was a breath of fresh air as far as reality tv goes. If only all viewers felt the same way.

Enter: Ms. Kandi Burruss, the newest addition to the bunch. Because of her short tolerance for hot mess, she is the woman that I most admire on the show. I'm just a fan. What's not to love about her? She's an accomplished singer, songwriter, and overall business woman. Not to mention, she has been a single mother for most of her daughter's life. She puts it down in a real way, taking care of business for herself and her family. She's quite the execumama if you ask me.

During this season, she has been trying to "fly above all the haters", while doing what she does best. But where there is perseverance, there will also lie challenges. Kandi has been dealing with her mother's contempt of her fiance, the transitioning into the Housewives pack, the loss of her fiance's nephew, and now she is in the mists of dealing with an even greater challenge. The unexpected and untimely death of her fiance, A.J.

My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her daughter, because this is also a great loss for her, as she will have to face not having a father for a second time. I was shocked and speechless as I first learned of this tragedy on Facebook and read the report. It made me revisit my own fears of introducing someone into my daughter's life, then losing them tragically. As I mentioned in another post, my Kipenzi has a dangerous occupation, which has dangerous consequences for himself and those who love him. As with all who work in law enforcement, he puts his life on the line everytime he reports to work. I used to find myself thinking about this constantly. The worry of him being harmed does not consume my thoughts like it used to, but its still a very clear and present realization.

I do hope that Kandi has a strong network of support at this time, and that this loss does not scar her daughter in a way that can't be repaired.