Popular Singer Mariah Carey has announced the heartbreaking news that both her mother, Patricia, and her sister, Alison, passed away over the weekend. The singer shared in a statement to People that she is devastated by the loss. "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," Mariah said.
Patricia was 87, and Alison was 63. The causes of their deaths have not been disclosed.
Mariah expressed her gratitude for spending her mother's final week with her and asked for privacy during this difficult time. Patricia Carey, a trained opera singer, was married to Alfred Roy Carey. They had three children: Alison, Morgan, and Mariah.
The sudden demise of two has brought back the spotlight on strained relationship between both siblings Mariah and Alison, which is also well documented in singer's memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey.
Alison Carey, the older sister of renowned singer Mariah Carey, led a life marked by struggles, controversies, and a tumultuous relationship with her famous sibling. Born in 1960, Alison was the middle child of Patricia Carey, a trained opera singer, and Alfred Roy Carey. Her life was overshadowed by personal challenges, including addiction, health issues, and a strained family dynamic that played out in the public eye.
Alison's early life was shaped by a difficult upbringing. The Carey family was biracial, which led to challenges in the predominantly white Long Island neighborhood where they lived. Patricia and Alfred's marriage ended in 1973, when Mariah was just three years old. After the divorce, the family dynamics grew increasingly complicated. Alison, who was 13 at the time, began to spiral into a life of turmoil.
As she grew older, Alison faced numerous hardships, including addiction to drugs. Her struggles with substance abuse began in her teens and persisted throughout her life, leading to multiple arrests related to prostitution, which she turned to as a means to support her addiction. Alison's life became a series of tragic events, further complicated by her deteriorating health.
In 1990, Alison was diagnosed with HIV, a condition that significantly impacted her life. Her health continued to decline over the years, and in 2015, she suffered a traumatic brain injury during a violent home invasion. The injury left her with impaired vision and memory, adding to the list of challenges she faced. Despite her efforts to manage her condition, Alison's life remained fraught with difficulties.
Alison's relationship with her sister Mariah was deeply troubled. The rift between them became public knowledge, particularly after Mariah released her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey. In the book, Mariah detailed her complicated and painful relationship with Alison, accusing her of trying to introduce her to drugs at a young age and causing her significant harm. One of the most harrowing allegations in the memoir was that Alison drugged Mariah with Valium, offered her cocaine, and attempted to sell her to a pimp when she was just 12 years old. These claims highlighted the deep-seated issues between the siblings and painted a tragic picture of Alison's life.
In response to the memoir, Alison filed a $1.25 million lawsuit against Mariah in 2021, denying the "outrageous claims" made in the book. She accused Mariah of using her celebrity status to attack her and claimed that the memoir's allegations caused her immense emotional distress, exacerbating her trauma and leading to a relapse into alcohol abuse.
Despite the lawsuit and the public feud, Alison's life remained largely out of the spotlight. She lived in relative obscurity, struggling with her health and the lingering effects of her past. Her relationship with Mariah remained strained until her death.
Alison Carey passed away on the same day as her mother, Patricia, over a weekend in August 2024. Her death marked the end of a life filled with pain, struggle, and unresolved conflicts. While her life was marred by difficulties, Alison's story serves as a sobering reminder of the impact of addiction, trauma, and fractured family relationships.
