Mariah Carey Reveals Both Her Mother Patricia and Sister Alison Passed Away on the Same Day: 'My Heart Is Shattered' (Exclusive)

Mariah expresses gratitude for all the love, support, and respect for her privacy during this extremely difficult time.

August 27, 2024

By M Muzamil Shami

Mariah Carey's mother, Patricia, and her sister, Alison, both passed away on the same day over the weekend, as confirmed by PEOPLE.

The 55-year-old Grammy-winning artist shared her sorrow in a statement to PEOPLE, saying, "I am heartbroken over the loss of my mother this past weekend. In a tragic and unexpected turn, my sister also passed away on the same day."

Mariah expressed gratitude for the time she recently spent with her mother, saying, "I feel fortunate to have been with my mom in the week leading up to her passing. I appreciate all the love, support, and understanding during this incredibly difficult time."

Currently, no additional information is available regarding the causes of Patricia's and Alison's deaths.

Patricia, who had been married to Alfred Roy Carey, was a professionally trained opera singer and vocal coach from Juilliard before they had three children: Alison, Mariah, and Morgan. The couple separated when Mariah was three years old.

Mariah had a complex relationship with her mother, from whom she inherited her impressive vocal abilities.

"My relationship with my mother, much like other parts of my life, has been marked by contradictions and a mix of different experiences. It's never been simple or straightforward; instead, it's been a spectrum of emotions," Mariah Carey reflected in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey.

"Our bond is a complex tangle of pride, hurt, shame, gratitude, envy, admiration, and disappointment," Mariah added in her book. "A complicated love connects my heart to my mother's."

Mariah Carey kept a relationship with her mother, despite their ups and downs over the years. In 2010, they appeared together on ABC's "Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You" special, where they sang a festive duet of "O Come All Ye Faithful/Hallelujah Chorus."

In her memoir, Mariah also expressed her love and gratitude toward her mother, Patricia, stating, "And 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's relationship with her sister Alison was more complicated. In the memoir, she explained that, at the time, it was "emotionally and physically safer" for her to have no contact with Alison or her brother Morgan.