Sonja Norwood, the mother of singers Brandy and Ray J, is speaking out about her son’s health condition as speculation about his illness spreads online. Norwood addressed the rumors during a Facebook Live broadcast, pushing back on claims that Ray J is exaggerating or faking his health issues.

What did Sonja Norwood say about Ray J’s health?

In her livestream, Norwood said she’s frustrated by accusations that Ray J’s illness isn’t real.

“It’s just really gotten out of hand when someone thinks that my son is faking his health, or it’s a hoax, or he’s just playing around, [and] he’s not really serious about it,” Norwood said in the video, per The Grio. “All of you who have been genuinely concerned about him and genuinely prayed for him, I want to say I thank you very much for that, because it takes multiple prayers and thoughts for things to change.”

Norwood’s comments come after Ray J revealed that his heart is “only beating 25%.” She said the diagnosis shocked their family.

“Never in my lifetime would I have thought that there would be someone as close to us that would experience some type of heart condition,” she said.

According to Norwood, Ray J’s friend called her on Jan. 6 to tell her that he had been hospitalized in Las Vegas. The family initially believed he was dealing with pneumonia, but when Norwood flew to see him, she realized the situation was more serious.

She said Ray J was experiencing chills and severe chest pain and had difficulty moving. Doctors later diagnosed him with cardiomyopathy, a condition that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.

“It was so scary and serious that every other word that was explained to us was ‘This is life-threatening.’ It’s like that [word] rings in my ear: life-threatening,” Norwood said. “We were told that if he had not checked himself into that hospital, he could have had a heart attack.”

Why did people doubt Ray J’s health condition?

Rumors about Ray J’s health intensified after he performed in Louisiana shortly after announcing his diagnosis. During the performance, Ray J appeared with a heart monitor and what looked like blood in his eyes.

However, a photographer at the event suggested the singer may not actually be ill. According to KTLA, the photographer shared a video that allegedly shows Ray J applying fake blood before going on stage, fueling speculation on social media about the authenticity of his health issues.