Back in October, Beverly Dewitt Yancey, father of the late J. Dilla, suffered a series of strokes and a heart attack along with bouts of pneumonia that has hospitalized the 78 year old since then where he is still in critical condition. Today I spoke with Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey on the phone briefly and she said that there has been some progress in her husband’s condition, but it’s going to be a slow recovery. Looks like through everything, the pneumonia hit him the hardest and at one point he looked very fraile, but with feedings through a trachea tube he has gained a healthier look back.

Ma Dukes is just taking it one day at a time and is thankful for all the well-wishes from everyone. She’s optimistic that Mr. Yancey will be back up writing and singing once again.

Currently, the Yancey’s do not have health insurance to cover these hospital costs per information handed handed via DJ House Shoes‘s twitter page (@HouseShoes). If you would like to help out and donate, please send any donations via Paypal to yanceymaureen@yahoo.com.