Tyler Perry is making sure his fans are taking the pandemic seriously after his hairdresser died of COVID-19.

The media mogul posted a lengthy message on Instagram announcing the death of Charles Gregory, with whom he’s worked for many years.

“The man was warm, loving and hilarious. We all loved to see him coming and hear his laughter. Charles lost his battle with COVID-19 today. It saddens me to think of him dying this way. My sincerest prayers are with his family,” he wrote.

Tyler went on to address the black community, laying out an emotional call to arms for everyone to start taking the pandemic seriously.

“While everyone can contract this virus it is black people who are dying from it in much larger numbers. This thing is real, black people,” Perry wrote. “I heard a black person say, ‘Black people don’t get it.’ That is a lie! You can get it, and you will get it if we don’t do what we’re being told to do. A 26 year old black woman died the other day, a 44 year old black man died the other day, not to mention the hundreds of people that are dying every few minutes. Your age does not matter!! Your health does not matter. You could be totally healthy, and you could die!”

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