The son of neo-soul icon D’Angelo is speaking out after the singer’s death at age 51 from pancreatic cancer.

Michael D’Angelo Archer II is grieving not only the loss of his father, who passed away on Tuesday , but also his mother, singer Angie Stone, who died just seven months ago.

In a statement to PEOPLE , the 27-year-old expressed his grief.

“I am grateful for your thoughts and prayers during these very difficult times, as it has been a very rough and sad year for me,” Archer II said. “I ask that you please continue to keep me in your thoughts as it will not be easy, but one thing that both my parents taught me was to be strong, and I intend to do just that.”

Stone died earlier this year following a fatal car accident in Mobile, Alabama, where she and her bandmates were traveli

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