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After the death of her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson is “staying strong” for her two kids, a source tells PEOPLE
They say the singer is “heartbroken” for her son Remington, 9, and daughter River, 11, whom she shares with her late ex-husband
On Thursday, Aug. 7, Blackstock’s family told PEOPLE in a statement that the music producer died after facing cancer privately for three years
Kelly Clarkson is focused on her kids.
A source tells PEOPLE that while the singer-songwriter, 43, is “staying strong” for her children — daughter River, 11, and son Remington, 9 — after the death of her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, she is “heartbroken” for their two kids.
“Kelly and Brandon had their ups and downs, but at the end of the day, he was the father of her children and she is absolutely heartbroken for them,” the source says. “Her kids are her entire world, and she’s staying strong for their sake.”
Kevin Winter/Getty
Kelly Clarkson and her two kids
On Thursday, Aug. 7, Blackstone died at age 48 from cancer, a rep for his family told PEOPLE shortly in a statement.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” the statement read. “Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”
After Blackstock’s death, a source told PEOPLE that Clarkson has “been devastated” for her kids as her late ex-husband privately faced cancer over the last three years. “When she found out that he was sick, she remained protective of him for their sake,” the source said.
“Kelly has always tried to keep things classy,” the source continued. “It became clear earlier this year that Brandon was not doing well. She’s been devastated for the kids.”
Just a day before, the “Stronger” singer shared that her producer and talent manager ex-husband was ill. At the time, she said that she was postponing her upcoming Las Vegas residency to spend time with their two kids.
“Unfortunately, I need to postpone the remainder of the August Studio Session dates in Las Vegas,” Clarkson wrote in an Instagram post.
The statement continued: “While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them. I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.”
Shelby Blackstock/Instagram
Brandon Blackstock (center, in cowboy hat) with his two kids this past summer
Clarkson was married to Blackstock for seven years before they split in June 2020.
Clarkson has shared that she prefers to be open and honest with her two kids. In a September 2022 cover story with Variety, she said she’s often vulnerable with her kids, especially when it comes to discussing her divorce.
“I think the most important thing I’ve learned in therapy, especially through this divorce, is ‘Don’t hide everything from your kids,'” she said at the time. “Obviously, don’t talk about stuff that you shouldn’t talk about, but it’s okay if they see you cry, or it’s okay if they see you’ve had a bad day.”
“You start to feel that kind of shame, like, ‘I’ve got to put my best foot forward as a mom because I don’t want them to be affected,’ ” continued the mom of two. “But then you allow your kids to express empathy, and they learn how to say, ‘Oh, man, I’m sorry you had a hard day.'”
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