“To me, he was just dad” ~Teddy Pendergrass II 

Teddy Pendergrass was raised in Philadelphia and became the R&B singer that women fell in love with. Like other famous singers, he became an important part of their lives, bringing hit songs like “Close the Door” and “Turn Off the Lights” into their hearts. His love of music radiated off him, making him the “Teddy” bear that everyone wanted a piece of. After his car accident in 1982, his fans were devastated. Yet, there were things going on behind closed doors that the public did not know about. Suffering from severe spinal cord injuries, the fears of losing his ability to sing and performing in front of an audience were overwhelming. Even during those hard times, there was something more that was keeping him alive and that was his love for his family.

Today, Teddy Pendergrass II keeps his father’s memory alive with his wife Felicia and three kids: Teddy III, Alyanna, and Alexia. There’s never a quiet moment in the Pendergrass home as the singing gene has been passed down throughout the family. Teddy was quite young when his father had his accident, changing his relationship with him forever. These are the details that we do not get to see, but these are also the moments that have shaped the caring family forever.