Mariah Carey confirmed to People on Monday that her mother, Patricia, and older sister, Alison, died on the same day over the weekend. “My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend,” Carey shared in a statement. “Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day.”
While few details surrounding their deaths have been released, a friend of Alison’s told The Times Union that the 63-year-old had been in hospice care and that her passing was connected to organ function. According to the friend, Alison’s death didn’t come as a surprise. “There were signs that she couldn’t go any further,” he said.
A native of Long Island, Alison spent the last several years living in Greene County. She made headlines in 2021 when she sued Mariah for $1.25 million over claims made in the singer’s 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey. In the novel, Mariah describes an incident in which Alison offers her drugs and attempts to “sell me out to a pimp.” Alison sued for emotional damages as a result of the allegations, disputing the incident as described in the memoir.
The lawsuit was just one of many bumps in the sisters’ strained relationship. In an interview with Oprah, Mariah described Alison as “troubled” and “traumatized,” and claimed that they were no longer in contact.
Mariah’s relationship with her mother Patricia was similarly complicated. Mariah inherited her musical talent from Patricia, who was a Juilliard-trained opera singer – something that Mariah notes in her memoir was both a point of bonding and contention in their relationship. “Our relationship is a prickly rope of pride, pain, shame, gratitude, jealousy, admiration and disappointment,” she wrote.
Still, Mariah was open about her affection for her mother. In 2010, Mariah and Patricia performed a duet during Mariah’s ABC special Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You. And in spite of their complicated past, Mariah asserted that she had “reserved some room in my heart” for her mother.
In her statement to People, Mariah revealed that she spent the last days of Patricia’s life by her side. “I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed,” she shared. “I appreciate everyone’s love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time.”
I appreciate everyone’s love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time.”
Mariah Carey
Carey is set to kick off her much anticipated 2024 Christmas Time tour on November 6. It is unclear whether this recent news will impact the tour, which consists of 20 stops across the United States.
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