Mariah Carey is currently facing the kind of double whammy no one ever wants. In a gut-wrenching plot twist straight out of a soap opera (one that would probably involve a lot of high notes), the iconic “Fantasy” singer revealed on Monday (August 26) that she lost both her mother, Patricia, and her sister, Alison, over the weekend. Yes, you read that right: both, on the same day. I mean, what are the odds? (Someone really needs to have a word with the universe about its scheduling.)
“My heart is broken,” Mariah shared in a statement to People magazine, presumably while hitting a whistle note that could shatter glass. “I lost my mother, and in a tragically synchronized event, my sister passed away on the same day. Clearly, the universe is just out here trying to make sure I never forget this date.”
While most of us would be knee-deep in comfort food and Netflix at this point, Mariah took a more zen approach, saying she felt “blessed” to have spent the last week with her mom before she passed. It’s like she was gifted a free trial of quality time, but the subscription ended way too soon. “I appreciate everyone’s love, support, and — let me emphasize this — respect for my privacy during this time,” she added. (Translation: No, you can’t come over and ask me about my skincare routine right now, Susan.)
As for the cause of their passing? Well, that’s still a mystery wrapped in an enigma stuffed into a vault of unanswered questions. The details remain MIA, because apparently the universe not only hit her with a double loss but also threw in a cliffhanger for good measure.
Mariah’s relationship with her mother and sister wasn’t exactly all rainbows and sunshine either. In her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, she described it as a “prickly rope” — which sounds like something you’d find in a particularly treacherous episode of Wipeout. Their bond was a tangled web of “pride, pain, shame, gratitude, jealousy, admiration, and disappointment” — basically, the full spectrum of emotions you’d expect from a Mariah Carey song, plus a few extra feelings for good measure.
But even with all the ups and downs, Mariah still dedicated part of her memoir to her mom, writing, “And to Pat, my mother, who, through it all, I do believe actually did the best she could.” Which is probably the most diplomatic way to say, “We had our issues, but hey, who doesn’t?”
As for her sister Alison, Mariah had described their relationship as the emotional equivalent of dodging a bullet. In the same memoir, she mentioned that for her own sanity and well-being, it was “safer” to keep her distance from Alison. You know, like how we all avoid that one overly chatty neighbor who somehow knows all your business.
Mariah Carey is going through an unimaginable loss right now, and we’re sending all the good vibes (and maybe a few high notes) her way. RIP Patricia and Alison. Heaven just got a whole lot more glamorous.
