Mariah Carey, the iconic pop star known for her five-octave vocal range, is facing an unimaginable heartbreak. Over the weekend, the singer lost both her mother, Patricia Carey, and her sister, Alison Carey, on the same day. The news was confirmed in an exclusive statement to “People,” where Carey expressed the profound sorrow she is experiencing.
“My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend. Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day,” Carey, 55, said in her statement. “I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed. I appreciate everyone’s love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time.”
The exact causes of death for Patricia and Alison Carey have not been disclosed, leaving fans and the public to speculate on the suddenness of the losses. Patricia Carey, 87, was a Juilliard-trained opera singer and vocal coach, whose influence on her daughter’s musical talents is well-documented. Alison Carey, 63, had a tumultuous life marked by struggles with substance abuse and a strained relationship with her famous sister.
Mariah Carey has often spoken candidly about her complicated relationship with her mother. In her 2020 memoir, “The Meaning of Mariah Carey,” she described their bond as “a prickly rope of pride, pain, shame, gratitude, jealousy, admiration, and disappointment.” Despite the difficulties, Carey dedicated part of her memoir to her mother, acknowledging that “through it all, I do believe she actually did the best she could.”
The relationship between Mariah and her sister Alison was even more strained. Alison, who had filed a $1.25 million lawsuit against Mariah in 2020, alleging defamation in the memoir, spent much of her later years grappling with health issues and personal hardships. The lawsuit, which centered around allegations that Alison had subjected Mariah to traumatic experiences in their childhood, further fractured their relationship.
Patricia Carey’s life was one of contrasts. She married Alfred Roy Carey, with whom she had three children: Alison, Mariah, and their brother Morgan. The couple divorced when Mariah was just three years old. Patricia’s career as an opera singer took a backseat as she focused on raising her children, although her influence on Mariah’s musical career is undeniable. The two even performed a festive mother-daughter duet of “O Come All Ye Faithful/Hallelujah Chorus” during ABC’s “Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You” special in 2010.
Alison Carey’s life was marred by difficulties, including a brain injury from a home invasion in 2015, which led to short-term memory loss, homelessness, and ongoing struggles with substance use disorder. Before her death, Alison had been in hospice care in New York, where she was visited by her children for what would be the last time. “Despite everything, she was still my sister, and I wish things could have been different,” Mariah Carey said in a previous interview about their relationship.
Mariah Carey’s grief is undoubtedly compounded by the public nature of her life, with her every move often scrutinized by fans and the media. Yet, in this time of sorrow, she is calling for respect and privacy as she mourns the loss of two significant figures in her life.