Sister 2 Sister Magazine Tribute (Wanda Interview) (2002)

(Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and Wanda Lopes-Coleman at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards)

-Lisa's mom, Wanda Lopes-Colemon, was the strongest of all of us during those sad days of Lisa's wake and funeral. It took a while before we were able to speak to Mom because there were so many things for her to take care of - the loss and preparation of her beautiful daughter, the phone calls, the lawyers, the horror of it all.I met her briefly at the wake, but she was, of course, busy and the line was extremely long. Folks like Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown, Tionne and her wonderful husband Mack 10, Usher and Chilli were all there.Lisa's Aunt Pam, her sister Michelle and I held on as we went to view her childlike body. She looked like a 12-year-old about to be baptized. I wanted to touch her, but there were security guards all around and they hurried us through. Here's Lisa's mom when we talked a few days after the funeral.-

Jamie: With your little cute self. Well, you're holding up good? What size are you? You're like a size two?

Wanda: No, I ain't never been a two in my life.

Jamie: You're so petite.

Wanda: It just looks like that.

Jamie: Sherman Washington - tell me about him. That's the minister who spoke at Lisa's funeral.

Wanda: Right.

Jamie: Was he your husband at one point?

Wanda: Yes

Jamie: He was very nice. I know it was hard for him, too, and I wanted to mention him in your part. Did you see Janet Jackson there?

Wanda: Nope. I read that she was there, but I didn't see Suge Knight there, either. The only ones I saw was Whitney Houston and her husband.

(Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes being held as an infant by her mother, Wanda Lopes)

Jamie: I want to know a little bit about Lisa when she was growing up. What was she like?

Wanda: She was very, very fast. Very bright. By her being my first one and, you know, I was young and dumb, so I figured that was normal. My father said, "No, she's quick." She repeated stuff really fast. If she heard anything she would repeat it. [She knew her] ABC's at one year old. And I didn't know any different. She was in a walker at three months old. Her legs were so strong. She did not ever want to sit down. I really thought she was gonna walk on her own at three months. I got her a walker at three months old and she couldn't even hold herself up. Her legs were just running all over the place. She was walking on her own at seven months. I got her advanced toys. She knew how to entertain herself. She didn't need other children. You could tell she was just bright, and smart, and quick to learn. Asians used to tell me, "She's got big eyes. She's gonna be very smart." That meant something in their culture. And they would say something about her hands. They said if she leaves her hand open she's going to be a giving person. They would say that to me not even knowing me. They observed her. She was very creative. Whatever she started she finished, like little stories. She was very trustworthy - never sneaky or anything like that. And I could trust her and depend on her.

Jamie: Was she smart in school?

Wanda: Yes she was. Everybody kept telling me I should put her in commercials and tv. I said no. I wanted her to have a normal life.

Jamie: Well, when did she stop having a normal life?

Wanda: Well, I just didn't want her to be bombarded. I wasn't looking to make money. I know about people that grew up in that stuff when they were young and they had problems. I didn't like it and I didn't want to put my daughter in stuff like that. And they bugged me a lot and I said no, this is my child and I don't want her [in commercials.] I said if she wants to do anything, she's gonna have to decide that on her own 'cause I'm not going to be responsible for anything. You know, for her to come back and say, "Mom, why'd you do this?" And yeah, she got kind of upset with me when everybody kept saying, "Try to tell your mom to put you in commercials." But after she'd finally gotten into the industry and started experiencing a lot of stuff, she thanked me afterwards. You have to have a really strong mind to deal with all that.

Jamie: HOw did you deal with it when they had the fire at Andre Rison's house? Did you help her? How did you manage that; because Lisa told me, "Jamie, people think I'm the bad guy? I'm not the bad guy."

Wanda: I wasn't there. I think Lisa misunderstood me. After it happened I was really, really scared for her. I said, are they gonna put my daughter in jail? And all that stuff was kinda new to me and I was frightened. I didn't know how to really take control or anything like that. When I went to see Lisa, she had such a look on her face that I kinda backed off. I expected to see her in a more submissions position, but it was like she was mad. She was angry and I kinda backed off and I didn't know what to say. I was just crying most of the time.

Jamie: When you went to see her, where was she?

Wanda: She was at a hotel and they took me there.

Jamie: I used to think about you a lot and how you were dealing with this child. She had to be special. I want to know, when she was little, did you get a lot of sugar from her? Lots of sugar and kisses?

Wanda: No. You know what? Our home was in such a turmoil that I took care of my kids, but it was really hard to just give them all the attention they needed with so much disharmony in the house. I feel bad about that. I think about that, but it's almost like there was nothing I could do. I had three little ones and I was dealing with this husband that just kept everybody upset. I know how she was and how she developed, but it was just so much abuse and fighting. It just took away from the attention that the kids should've really gotten.

Jamie: Your son, Ron, has mentioned the abuse, too. But why do you think Lisa loved her father so much?

Wanda: I asked her that, too. I guess they had a special bond that I just didn't see. I know one thing: she was his first child. He loved her. She seemed like he didn't scare her. For some reason, ever since she was little, he just did not intimidate her. Maybe there was something with that. It's not like she would backtalk him, but he wouldn't make her shake in her boots; not like the other two.

Jamie: Did she look like him?

Wanda: She kinda looked like him around the cheek area.

(Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes being held as an infant by her parents, Wanda Lopes and Ronald Lopes Sr.)

Jamie: How long were you married to him?

Wanda: I think all together like 13 [years] because we got divorced and got remarried.

Jamie: You did?

Wanda: Yeah, it was my children. Not Lisa. Lisa said she knew it wasn't gonna work, but of course he coerced Raina and they were bugging me. I was trying to do the right thing because he was the kids' father and he told me he changed. He told me he got born again. He did something where I saw he didn't change and I told him I wasn't gonna marry him. And he went to my pastor and cried to my pastor and my pastor came and talked to me and begged me to give him a chance.

Jamie: He was in the military, right?

Wanda: Right.

Jamie: Did you all move around a lot?

Wanda: Um-hmm.

Jamie: Where was Lisa born?

Wanda: She was born in Philly.

Jamie: Well, how did you meet Lisa's father? Was it like love at first sight?Wanda: No. He knew my aunt and he was a nice guy and my aunt said I was a nice girl. She introduced us. He had a lot of inner problems that I didn't know about.

Jamie: Do you think that's why Lisa took to a lot of guys? She was just so giving. Shawn told me about how she was, like, the best person, the best woman that you could have as a wife.

Wanda: Yeah.

Jamie: Where did she learn that, from you?

Wanda: I guess, yeah. My children, for some reason, they're just like that. Raina's like that also.

Jamie: You mentioned something at the funeral about Lisa trying to find a mate. That she was always looking for a mate.

Wanda: I just made a comment that she never seemed to find a suitable one. After Suge, I said, "Lisa, I hope this doesn't discourage you."

Jamie: What was your husband's first name?

Wanda: Ronald.

Jamie: You said all of your kids are like that. Is your son Ronald nice like that to his girlfriend?

Wanda: Yeah, he's having a hard time, too. He's looking for somebody like me. I said forget it, you ain't gon' find nobody like me. He's like, "Why can't I find nobody like my mother or my sisters?"

Jamie: I remember when they told me you got married to Quynton, who is T-Boz's uncle. I thought that was so cool. I know T-Boz's mother, Gayle. I love her. I'm glad that you found someone finally.

Wanda: Me and Gayle were the best of friends. We hit it off really quick when we first met.

Jamie: That's so great. Did you ever go down to Honduras?

Wanda: Yeah, Lisa sent me and Quynton down there. I loved it. I did everything. I was into herbs before my children were and they knew I took herbs. They would call and ask me questions. But when Lisa started taking herbs, I guess it was if Lisa did it, oh wow, we gotta do it, too. After she really got into it my other two just... I wasn't buying meat for years and they were used to that.

(Andre Rison, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Wanda Lopes-Coleman at the 2000 Grammy Awards After Party)

Jamie: Why do you think Lisa never had children?

Wanda: Well, because all my children did not want to have a life like they were raised up in. I tried to stick with their father and everything and tried to have a family life. And they do not want to get married and have children unless they find the right person and they know they're gonna stay married. And they all thought like that. So I don't have no grandkids.

Jamie: It's funny how some people will continue the cycle and they'll grow up and get into the same situation, but some of them say no.

Wanda: My kids said no, they don't want. Ronald said he's not really looking anymore.

Jamie: You saw a vision of Lisa a year ago, right?

Wanda: It was over a year ago. It was almost two years. Come to think of it, it was probably around the time when Lisa discovered Honduras. Right after she went to Honduras, she sent us there one month or two months later.

Jamie: Were you nervous about her going to Honduras?

Wanda: No, I had never really heard anything bad about it. Me and the kids like traveling and we don't mind visiting or living other places. I loved it. I loved that peacefulness, that openness. I loved Georgia, you know, because I'm from the city.

Jamie: You said that was the first vision? You saw more than one?

Wanda: Yes, the same exact vision.

Jamie: Before you saw that vision, did you ever see any other visions?

Wanda: Yes. I ask the Lord to show me visions if I don't hear Him. It's something I ask for. I just ask, "If I don't hear You, help me." Yes, I've had other visions before.

Jamie: And they came true?

Wanda: Yeah, usually visions are true. It's just something you see when you're up and you're about and you're not thinking about it and it just flashes in front of your face.

Jamie: Did you ever tell Lisa about the vision?

Wanda: I couldn't tell Lisa. I didn't want to believe it myself.

Jamie: So you started praying?

Wanda: Well, the first time when I saw it I said, "How come I'm seeing this?" I said, "That looked like Lisa." And it just stuck with me and stuck with me. It was a long, long time before I saw another one. It's like enough time where, "OKay, maybe I didn't see this." Then I saw it again.

Jamie: What was it, her in a coffin?

Wanda: Yes, exactly. If you went to the viewing, exactly the way I saw her.

Jamie: Was that a silk gown on Lisa?

Wanda: It was satin. In the casket she had all white on. Her arms were not crossed. Her hair was fixed exactly like how I told them. And I said, "She shouldn't have no scars on her face." And she didn't. I said, "Her face should be fine." And I picked the gown. I said, "I want a nightgown." And I said I want a blanket over her from the chest down. Because the way I saw her, that's the way she's supposed to be. And I told the hairdresser - she used to Lisa's hair - how I wanted her hair fixed. The other one who did her makeup, I said I just want her to look natural. Just put some lip-gloss on her.

Jamie: Right. It looked like her lips were nude. But she did have the little ring on her left eye.

Wanda: Yeah, I didn't see all that. It just flashes for a second, but enough to know it was my daughter. Then when I got the other [vision], Raina had real long hair and she cut her hair and I said, "Well, it looks like Lisa, but it could be Raina." But no, it looks too much like Lisa. But I said I know it's Lisa. It was just waiting every time the phone rang. When Lisa disappeared I said, "Don't ya'll do that to me." And when the phone would ring at night...... And then I had another one.

Jamie: Both you and Lisa went on a fast at the same time?

Wanda: Well, Lisa started experiencing stuff herself. Often she would tell me she would communicate with her father. And I would say, "Why is she communicating with him?" I said, "Lisa, do you miss himt hat much?" And I just had no idea because when he died she just stood at his casket and just stared and stared and stared at him. I wouldn't go up to the casket. I'm not a person to be staring and looking down on somebody that's dead. It's almost like it doesn't matter who they are. And she just stood and stood there for the longest time.

Jamie: It hit me the hardest when she said that she was so excited when TLC had gotten a deal that she called for her father and found out he had already been shot, right?

Wanda: No, I don't think she called him. She called me and told me she got the deal. I know I had to call her and tell her about her father. I think she had intentions on calling him. She may not have known where he was or had a phone number 'cause I didn't have a phone number to him. She said she was gonna buy her father and her mother a house. And I'm saying, why is she gonna buy her father a house? He couldn't buy us no house. He would not get us a house. I had to get the house.

Jamie: Now you're gonna be talking to the lawyer about the land Lisa owned in Honduras. I want to know, you took a young lady into the wake and you closed the door and we were waiting. She was brown skinned. Who was that?

Wanda: She lived up the street from Lisa. Her son got attached to Lisa. He's more mature for his age. He just understands a lot of things and he just didn't like people mistreating Lisa. And I guess Lisa had conversations with him. But she said, "My son said Lisa is coming back, she's not gone." She said, "My son is so wise." Lisa told him something; she told him she was tired. It's like the boy's mother was feeling her son's hurt. And she was just crying and [saying] "What's this going to do to my son?" She started praying over Lisa and she started speaking in tongues. She loved Lisa, too, and she said her son was so crazy about Lisa.

(Reigndrop Lopes, Ronald Lopes, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Wanda Lopes-Coleman in the 1980s)

Jamie: You were so brave.

Wanda: I did it but, if I didn't see this ahead of time, I could not have done this. The Lord really prepared me. I didn't want to go crazy. I told the Lord how I felt about my children and I prayed about that because I knew it would drive me crazy. I would clam up. I would get depressed and I didn't want to be like that, so I was praying about it. When I dream, my dreams don't mean nothing. I just know I dreamt a lot in the last six months. I just had a whole bunch of dreams. But visions are something you usually see. Soem of Lisa's dreams came true, but I have visions just bieng awake and things will flash in front of my face without me even knowing anything about it. So that's my vision. The Lord only allowed me to see Lisa peacefully in a casket. He didn't allow me to see nothing else. And I thought I was gonna have to tell my kids. I just thought, "How am I going to tell my kids?" But this is one example of a vision. When I was younger, me and the kids' father were fighting. I left the house. When I was at my father's house, I knew that my father was going to the house to get my furniture. So I was putting a post earring in my ear and something said not to. Then all of a sudden I saw this vision where I was hit upside my head in my ear. I thought it was my husband, so I didn't say nothing. I just took the post earrings out and I put them back on the bureau. SO you know, It's all about obedience. My father said, "Go out and start the car and I'll be out there." I went in the garage and I couldn't get in the car. This guy comes into the garage. He had his head down with his arms stretched out. I thought it was somebody I knew. I let him walk up to me. He was playing with me. Grabbed my arm and spinned me around. We had tossed and turned and darn if he didn't hit me upside my ear. So if I hadn't been obedient I would've had damage done. I was all bruised. I went to the hospital. That's the vision. I thought it was gonna be my husband and it was somebody else - a drug addict or something.

Jamie: What did he want?

Wanda: I don't know. He didn't grab my purse. Maybe he wanted the keys to the car. I don't know but I was screaming. I don't just let nobody take over me like that. I didn't see a gun or a knife. Somebody heard me scream. My father just took so long coming out. He hit me, I saw stars but it didn't knock me out. He hit me right in my ear.

Jamie: People said that Lisa had found peace. She had been climbing up the mountain in Honduras and going off on her own. I told Kyle [her uncle] that sometimes some spirits are just too special to stay here. They don't want to be here long. And Lisa, the things that she had to bear, the people that she took care of, it's amazing what this child did.

Wanda: It drained her. I believe it did. She still gave of herself 100 percent. That's the kind of person she was.

Jamie: When was she the happiest?

Wanda: I think she was happy when she first started and she made it. She was real happy about that. Then she wasn't happy. I guess it was like Andre, a combination of maybe me and other things like her money, the business and being cheated. Everything was coming down on her at one time. And then the house being burned down. I know that was not intentional.

Jamie: Well, I understand she was paying the mortgage on the house.

Wanda: She had helped him. Yeah, she was. I guess it was being paid, but at times he didn't have the money. She put out quite a bit of money on the mortgage.

Jamie: Then she helped the mother of Andre Rison's baby.

Wanda: The recent thing - I was so upset with her... she went and paid that. She said it was in a contract that if he did his CD she'd get her money back. She didn't tell me. I asked her.

Jamie: Yeah, somebody else told me that she put out money for him. A lot of people don't understand, but also she told me that she and Andre always had a special love. And no matter, she said, "I don't know what it is..." When they got back together, how do you explain that?

Wanda: I don't. I think there is a certain bond there. At times Andre did feel things. When he was away in another state he seems to have had dreams, too, and he'd come rushing to Lisa's side [and say], "Are you okay?" Eventually, Andre's true colors just came shining through again. You know how men are. They want you and they're nice and then after they're around for a while, all that other stuff starts coming out. I'm so glad that that thing about the child support... Lisa was glad that came out because that was her excuse for saying no; we can't get married right now.

Jamie: Oh, when she had to take care of his child support?

Wanda: Even before then, when it was coming out, that was a good reason to tell him we can't get married right now because all this stuff is out. I would have my family pray for Lisa; if anything needed to come out let it manifest itself before she made a decision. And darn if something like that didn't come out. They were planning on tying the knot. I wasn't happy. I told her I wasn't coming to the wedding.

Jamie: How old was the baby?

Wanda: He had two teenaged sons that lived in the same subdivision Lisa lived. And every time he came there [their mother] knew it and she'd go sic the police on him.

Jamie: How much child support did he owe?

Wanda: It was like $60,000.

Jamie: And she paid that for him?

Wanda: Yeah.

Jamie: You said that you really enjoyed Lisa on her MTV show, "The Cut." Tell me about that.

Wanda: I just loved her on "The Cut." I'd be saying, "Lisa, what'd you have on?" I said, "That's my daughter!" I thought she was the best person. I was upset when they didn't call her back, but I think she had other things to do. I said "Nobody's going to make 'The Cut' like Lisa."

Jamie: I'm just so happy that you brought that girl on earth that I don't know what to do. I really truly feel that she was one of those angels that dropped to earth. I really do.

Wanda: I told her, "Ya'll are the best thing your father had ever given me." I said, "If I had to do it all over I would do my same children in the same order."

Jamie: You're absolutely right because talking to Raina and Ron, you just have beautiful children. And you're beautiful, too. You have a wonderful family.

Wanda: I have to thank the Lord for that.

Jamie: Now, you're an interior decorator, right?

Wanda: Yes.

Jamie: Somebody told me you did their house and it was smokin'! How did you happen to go to Bishop Long to preach the funeral?

Wanda: He called and offered his church.

Jamie: Well, it was about 10,000 to 12,000 people in there.

Wanda: Yeah.

Jamie: And didn't they have memorial services in other places?

Wanda: I think so. I didn't listen to the news. I kinda heard that they were gonna have some in some places.

Jamie: Well, I'm glad that I got to know you, not under this circumstance, but I'll be around. You can't get rid of me now, okay?

Wanda: Okay.

Jamie: Thank you for calling me and tell Quynton I said hi.

Wanda: Okay.

(Ronald Lopes, Wanda Lopes-Coleman, Ronald Lopes Sr., Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Reigndrop Lopes)