Donna Summer’s Daughters Share Tender Memories of Their Mom: “She Was So Much More Than the Queen of Disco”
To the world, Donna Summer was the Queen of Disco—a powerhouse performer whose voice ignited dance floors across the globe. But to her daughters, she was simply Mom—a woman of faith, humor, creativity, and quiet strength. In the years since her passing in 2012, her daughters—Mimi, Brooklyn, and Amanda—have opened up about the woman behind the music, offering a deeply personal portrait of a mother who was as grounded as she was glamorous.
“She didn’t walk around the house singing ‘Hot Stuff,’” laughs Brooklyn Sudano, an actress and director. “She was cooking dinner, helping with homework, and reminding us to clean our rooms.” Despite the fame and fortune, Donna Summer kept her family life remarkably normal. She was a devoted wife to musician Bruce Sudano and a fiercely loving mother who put her children first.
The girls recall family road trips, painting sessions, and deep conversations about life and faith. “She was very spiritual,” says Amanda Sudano Ramirez, one half of the musical duo Johnnyswim. “She taught us to pray, to believe in something bigger than ourselves, and to be kind no matter what.”
Mimi Sommer, Donna’s eldest daughter from her first marriage, has said her mother was “incredibly wise” and “could walk into a room and read every emotion before anyone spoke.” That emotional intelligence wasn’t just something Donna brought to her personal life—it’s what gave her music such power. Songs like “Last Dance” and “MacArthur Park” weren’t just hits—they were experiences, fueled by the real emotions Donna poured into every note.
Even in her final months, Donna protected her family. She kept her battle with cancer mostly private, not wanting her children to worry or the world to pity her. “She was strong until the very end,” says Brooklyn. “She didn’t want to be remembered as sick. She wanted to be remembered as full of life.”
And she is. Through their own creative paths, her daughters are carrying forward her legacy. Amanda sings with the same raw emotion her mother once channeled; Brooklyn tells stories through film and TV; and Mimi honors her memory through quiet strength and grace.
In their eyes, Donna Summer wasn’t just a global icon—she was the heart of their home. And as they share their memories, fans get a beautiful reminder: behind the glitter and the gold records was a woman of warmth, wit, and unwavering love. A mom who just happened to wear a crown—and wore it with elegance until the end.