Mariah Carey has revealed the heartbreaking news that both her mother, Patricia, and her sister, Alison, passed away on the same day. The 55-year-old Grammy-winning singer expressed her deep sorrow in a statement to PEOPLE, saying, “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.”
Despite the profound grief, Mariah shared that she felt fortunate to have spent the last week with her mother before she passed away. She thanked everyone for their support and asked for privacy during this difficult time.
The causes of death for Patricia and Alison have not been disclosed.
Patricia Carey, a Juilliard-trained opera singer and vocal coach, was previously married to Alfred Roy Carey. Together, they had three children: Alison, Mariah, and Morgan. The couple divorced when Mariah was just three years old.
Mariah’s relationship with her mother was a complex mix of emotions, as she detailed in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey. She described it as “a prickly rope of pride, pain, shame, gratitude, jealousy, admiration, and disappointment.”
Despite the challenges, Mariah maintained a bond with her mother. In 2010, they performed a mother-daughter duet for ABC’s Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You special. Mariah also dedicated part of her memoir to Patricia, acknowledging her mother’s efforts, “I do believe she actually did the best she could.”
Her relationship with Alison was equally complicated. In her memoir, Mariah explained that, at one point, it was “emotionally and physically safer” for her to avoid contact with both Alison and their brother, Morgan.
