Porsha Williams Mourns Loss of Cousin and Co-Star Yolanda Favors

Porsha Williams has opened up about a personal and painful loss. On Monday, the Bravo personality wrote via Instagram that her cousin, Yolanda “Lonnie” Favors, passed away a few days earlier, on August 7. She was 34 years old. Porsha Williams attends the Atlanta premiere of BET+ “The Deadly Getaway” on May 8, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET+) “Londie — you were our best friend, our sister, our aunt, our cousin, and so much more,” Porsha wrote in a Aug. 12 Instagram message. “Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure, and you are loved beyond words and will be missed beyond measure.” Favors made appearances on Porsha’s Real Housewives of Atlanta spinoff, Family Matters. The 43-year-old — who will be returning next season to the franchise that made her famous — went on to detail how her cousin’s memory will continue to live on. Porsha Williams attends Shaq’s Fun House presented by FTX at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on February 11, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) “The impact and value you provided all of us during your time here was tremendous,” Williams said, adding: “But we know that your spirit will always be with us every day guiding us through this difficult time and what’s still to come. For that, we’re eternally grateful.” The reality star’s heartfelt tribute to her loved one wrapped up with a quote from author E.A. Buccianeri’s Brushstrokes of a Gadfly, which reads as follows: “So it’s true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love.” Porsha Williams attends Mary J. Blige Album Release Party For “Good Morning Gorgeous” at The Classic Cat on February 10, 2022 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images) Back in February, executives confirms the return of Porsha, although she’ll be a full-time cast member going forward under her married name, Porsha Williams Guobadia. Williams Guobadia was a fan favorite on The Real Housewives of Atlanta from Seasons five through 13. She left the show on her own accord in September 2021 to spend more time with her family, most notably her daughter. “With me in the past dealing with mental health, I knew that I needed to be as healthy mentally as I could be. No drama, etc. Just in a happy peaceful place for my baby girl,” she explained at the time. Porsha Williams celebrates her memoir release, The Pursuit of Porsha, and her TV show premiere, Porsha’s Family Matters at the Empire State Building at The Empire State Building on November 29, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust) Fast forward three years, however, and she’s coming back, folks. “I’m incredibly thankful for the vision and faith NBCUniversal has put in me to be a larger part of their family,” Porsha said on Instagram this winter. “I’m looking forward to being back on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, and showing the world my new world!” We send our condolences to those who knew and loved Yolanda “Lonnie” Favors. May she rest in peace.