Grammy-winning singer Mariah Carey has announced the tragic deaths of her mother, Patricia, and her sister, Alison, on the same day over the weekend.
The music icon shared the heartbreaking news in a statement released on Monday, August 26, expressing profound grief and requesting privacy during this difficult period.
“My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend,” Carey said. “Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day.”
Patricia Carey, 87, was a distinguished opera singer and vocal coach of Irish American heritage. In her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, Mariah opened up about their complex relationship, revealing how professional jealousy had strained their bond. Despite their challenges, Carey’s memoir highlighted her enduring love for her mother, dedicating a heartfelt message: “To Pat, my mother, who, through it all, I do believe actually did the best she could. I will love you the best I can, always.”
Mariah Carey’s relationship with her sister Alison, 63, was equally fraught. The memoir also detailed Carey’s estrangement from Alison and their brother Morgan, which Carey described as necessary for her own emotional and physical safety.
Alison had previously filed a lawsuit against Carey for $1.2 million, claiming the memoir caused her emotional distress.
The loss of Patricia and Alison marks a period of mourning for Carey, who has previously faced personal grief with the death of her father, Alfred, in 2002 after a battle with cancer.