Fans all over the world will likely remember Teddy Pendergrass as that passionate, sexy soul singer, or legendary R&B superstar, or the man who really helped define the sound of Philadelphia. His number one fan will remember him simply as dad.
"He was great and we had a really great relationship. He talked to his kids, so I think he was grounded in that sense," said Teddy Pendergrass II.
Growing up in the shadow of a superstar isn't always easy, but from what Teddy says, his dad was unique.
"He really had two sides that he intensely loved – that guy on stage who loved to do music, and that private man who would shut down to be with his family."
Pendergrass, 59, died on Wednesday after a bout from colon cancer. Teddy was with him at Bryn Mawr hospital the day before.
"We talked and spent time together. He said he was happy to see me. He said, "I love you."'
Teddy, 35, is a financial consultant with two young kids and he credits a great deal of his success professionally and personally, to his father.
"The best things he gave me were drive, determination, love for my family and honor," said Teddy. "With those traits, I take my time with my kids, I talk to them, and you know what, I always tell them what he told me – "You can do whatever you want to do."'
But, he also says Pendergrass "wasn't a walk-in-the-park dad. He had rules – be a good kid and try as hard as you can. …Whatever you do, you have to be the best at it."
What his dad was really best at, was doing things on his own terms.
"Absolutely. He did it his way, on his terms. Whether he was right or whether he was wrong. But you had to love him. You had to respect him."
Pendergrass spent the last six months on a respirator. He and his family knew for the better part of a year that he would not recover. His son is grateful for the time they all had to prepare and while he'll miss his dad terribly, he can already laugh a little about one thing:
"I know he is in heaven, driving his red Ferrari."
