Today, the hip-hop community and culture at large is mourning a grave loss and remembering the life of Kim Porter. Ever since she was a young girl growing up in Georgia, Porter was a light who made an impression on those fortunate to cross her path.

After graduating from high school in 1988, she moved to Atlanta to pursue a modeling career, working tirelessly to make her dreams come true. Her work ethic and determination, paired with her stunning looks and undeniable charm, helped her to build a name for herself, landing covers on premier magazines such as Runway and Essence.

While working in Atlanta, she met Al B. Sure! In 1991, Porter gave birth to her firstborn son, Quincy, naming him after her mentor Quincy Jones.

Years later, after the couple split, Porter was introduced to Sean “Diddy” Combs in 1994 and they soon became inseparable, with Andre Harrell even hiring her to work as a receptionist at Uptown Records. As their love for one another grew deeper, the pair began a family of their own, first with Combs becoming a father figure to Quincy and later, with the power couple having three children of their own. In 1998, Porter and Combs welcomed Christian Combs to their family, and later, in 2006, had two twin girls, D’Lila and Jessie.

“She kind of made me nervous,” Combs reflected, talking about his relationship with Porter for a profile published in Essence in 2009. “She wasn’t like a New York girl. She was Bohemian, mixed with Georgia-peach hospitality. I got the idea she’d like doing stuff like walking barefoot in the grass. I didn’t think I could get her to like me. She was smooth, you know, like ice. She’s cool and collected and thinks before she speaks. You meet a lot of young ladies, and they just don’t do that. Kim was never pressed; she was always in control.”

While Porter and Combs ended their romantic relationship again in 2007 (after getting back together following a lengthy split), the two soon set a remarkable standard regarding how to co-parent, not allowing their private and personal differences to take away from them putting their family first. In fact, the two have made countless headlines over the years with fans and media alike admiring them for the unconditional love they shared regardless of circumstance.

“I know him like I know my kids,” Porter previously explained, talking about their connection with Essence‘s Jeannine Amber in 2009. “He’s gentle, giving and sensitive, especially to me. He’s really a good guy, with a big, big heart. I get to see that. I’m really thankful I get to see that.”

In addition to garnering a reputation as an inspiring woman and loving mother, Porter also found success as an actress, going on to appear on television shows such as Wicked Wicked Games and Law & Order, as well as held roles in films such as The Brothers and Mama, I Want to Sing. While it’s safe to presume she found her favorite role was in motherhood, Porter will be remembered fondly, as a one-of-a-kind hip-hop muse, as a strong individual, and as a dynamic role model.

As news of her untimely passing on Thursday (Nov. 15) continues to spread, celebrities far and wide are taking to social media to honor her legacy and offer their prayers to Combs and their children.