In 1994, singer and actress Della Reese embarked on her journey as Tess, one of the angels dispatched to earth to guide others through their struggles on Touched by an Angel. This role seemed to come naturally to Reese, a woman renowned for her compassion and understanding.

Prior to her transformative role, Reese was a co-host of the prestigious Angel Awards in 1980. These awards, bestowed by Religion In Media, also known as the RIM Awards, held a unique place in the industry despite receiving less television coverage than other ceremonies. As the St. Lucie News Tribune reported, their purpose was to recognize contributions to 'the cause of religion by media—movies, television, books, the press.'

The article reads, "At this year's event, Ted Knight and Della Reese were the co-hosts, and it was a very light-hearted event, even though some of the winners were for very heavy, tragic subjects."

"Della Reese said she liked giving out the angels, which symbolized the award for doing something for the cause of religion."

The actress said the Angel Award is the only one you can take with you. Little did she know that more than a decade later. She'd star in a show many viewers believed helped them through tough times.

Reese was an angel in real life.