Celebrities Who've Opened Up About Losing Grieving Children
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The death of a child is an unfathomable loss no parent should ever have to experience, but for reasons beyond our knowledge, accidents, illnesses, and terrible circumstances sometimes claim the lives of children, and no one — not famous movie stars or even the President of the United States — is protected from such unpredictable tragedies.
While miscarriage comes with its own stifling grief, the loss of a child who has arrived in the world and grown and developed their own personality and interests and connections with others is nothing short of agonizing. Nick Cannon, whose son Zen passed away from brain cancer in 2021 at 5 months old, shared on the 1-year anniversary of the baby’s death, “Losing a child has to be the heaviest, most dark and depressive experiences that I will never get over.”
Vanessa Bryant expressed a similar sentiment regarding the incomprehensible pain of losing her 13-year-old daughter Gianna and legendary husband Kobe Bryant in a tragic helicopter accident in 2020. “I can’t say that there aren’t days when I feel like I can’t survive to the next,” the mom of four told People. “This pain is unimaginable [but] you just have to get up and push forward.”
From Cannon and Bryant to President Joe Biden, famous figures who’ve experienced the death of a child express the same unimaginable heartache regardless of how old the child was at the time of their passing. In fact, the 46th POTUS lost both his infant daughter in 1972 and his middle-aged son in 2015, and age didn’t make either death easier to cope with. To learn about how these three and more celebrities navigated the heartbreaking grief of losing a child, scroll on.
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Tim Roth
In 2022, Tim Roth’s 25-year-old son Cormac died from germ cell cancer. The Pulp Fiction star, his wife Nikki, and their son Hunter released a joint statement announcing Cormac’s passing, which read, “On Sunday the 16th of October, we lost our beautiful boy Cormac after a courageous battle with cancer. He died peacefully in the arms of his family who loved and adored him. He fought with incredible bravery for the past year, and maintained his wicked wit and humour to the very end.”
The family described Cormac as “an exceptionally gifted and extraordinary musician whose passion and love for making music stretched back to when his guitar was bigger than he was.” The tribute continued, “He was a wild and electric ball of energy and his spirit was filled with light and goodness. As wild as he was, Cormac was also the embodiment of kindness. A gentle soul who brought so much happiness and hope to those around him.”
“The grief comes in waves, as do the tears and laughter, when we think of that beautiful boy across the 25 years and 10 months that we knew him,” the Roths added. “An irrepressible and joyful and wild and wonderful child. Only recently a man. We love him. We will carry him with us wherever we go.”
Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson’s daughter Exodus died in a tragic accident in 2009 when she was just 4 years old. The toddler was playing on a treadmill and had wrapped a cord from the machine around her neck, and she passed away from asphyxiation. The infamous boxer has spoken about the loss during a few episodes of his podcast, Hotboxin’.
During a 2020 conversation with Lewis Howes, Tyson shared, “I didn’t know what to do after that. I just didn’t know what to do.” When asked how he recovered from the experience, the athlete heartbreakingly responded, “I haven’t.”
In a 2023 episode with Cedric The Entertainer, Tyson spoke more in depth about the impact of Exodus’ death. “When I lost my daughter, that humbled me,” he said. “How much money you got. How much fame you got? You gotta deal with that. Deal with that big shot. Famous boxer, tough guy.”
Marie Osmond
Marie Osmond’s son Michael tragically took his life in 2010. He was just 18 years old. A decade after his death, the entertainer up about the loss during an appearance on CBS Sunday Morning, per People. “You know, I don’t think you’re ever through it,” she said. “I think God gives you respites, and then all of a sudden it’ll hit you like the day it did. The ripple effect is so huge, what you leave behind.”
A month later during an appearance on The Talk, Osmond revealed Michael “was bullied very heavily up until the time.” She said that she regretfully never took action against his bullies and added, “But, I can tell you, honestly, I believe that that was a big component in him just feeling overwhelmed and that he didn’t fit in” (via People).
Tina Turner
In 2022, Tina Turner’s son Ronnie passed away due to complications from colon cancer. He was 62 years old. The iconic singer shared a tribute on Instagram in his honor, writing, “Ronnie, you left the world far too early. In sorrow I close my eyes and think of you, my beloved son.”
Prior to Ronnie’s death, Turner lost another of her sons, Craig, to suicide in 2018. He was 59 years old when he took his life. The “Proud Mary” singer spoke to Gayle King a year after the tragedy, telling the CBS News anchor, “I think Craig was lonely, that’s what I think really got him more than anything else. I have pictures all around of him smiling, and I think I’m sensing that he’s in a good place. I really do.”
Rob Delaney
When Rob Delaney’s son Henry was just 2 years old, he passed away from brain cancer. The Argylle star appeared on NPR in 2022 to chat about his memoir, A Heart That Works, which is about the tragic death of his child.
During his chat with NPR host Rachel Martin, Delaney recalled Henry’s passing. “You know you’re being changed dramatically in the moment,” he said. “You know that it is a dividing line in your life.”
The comedian continued, “He died on our couch. And [his] brothers woke up not too long after and came up and saw him. And they were so young. So they spent time with his body, too. And it was — you know, I’m really glad we did that.” Delaney added, “Yeah, you’ve got to spend time with the body of your loved one. If you’re lucky enough to have them die with you, you know, don’t let the undertaker come any time too soon.”
When asked if he had any wisdom to share with people going through a similar experience, the Catastrophe star said, “I would just say other people can help you, and your salvation will come through the embraces and charity and kindness of other people.”
Delaney continued, “There remains beauty and love and light in this world. Even though you’ve been through something that will leave you changed forever, there are still smiles out there for you to have and laughter and joy. And other people who’ve been through what you’ve been through can help you with that.”
'A Heart That Works' by Rob Delaney
Alexa & Carlos PenaVega
Alexa and Carlos PenaVega announced the tragic stillbirth of their daughter Indy on Instagram in April 2024. A month later, the Spy Kids alum shared an update with her followers in a candid video.
“You know this season obviously is the most traumatic thing that we’ve ever had to go through as a family, let alone I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything quite like this,” Alexa began. “And I hope to never ever have to experience anything like this ever again.”
The actress continued, “But it’s been really incredible to see how God has just moved through our family. During this time, we have obviously felt a lot of pain. A lot of pain. But also, an insane amount of peace.”
“And let me tell you, Indy’s little life has transformed us,” Alexa shared. “Like, completely. Our family has never been stronger, my faith has never been stronger, my marriage has never been stronger.” The Sleepover star continued, “Her life was so purposeful in just that short little bit that we had with her. And while she may not have taken a breath here on earth, she did not go without purpose.”
She added, “I know it’s just the beginning. And it doesn’t make sense. And days will continue to be hard. I know this is not just a….this season I know will come with a rollercoaster of feelings and emotions. I know that. But I’m just going to continue to allow his peace to just overwhelm us,” Alexa concluded.
Regina King
Regina King’s son Ian tragically ended his life in 2022. In 2024, she opened up to Good Morning America, per People, saying she still feels “guilt” over her only child’s death. “When a parent loses a child, you still wonder, ‘What could I have done so that wouldn’t have happened?'” she said.
In the two years since his suicide, King shared she’s had time to “just sit with Ian’s choice.” The Oscar winner said, “I respect and understand that he didn’t want to be here anymore. And that’s a hard thing for other people to receive, because they did not live our experience, did not live Ian’s journey.”
The actress said she was “so angry with God,” constantly asking “Why would that weight [and depression] be given to Ian?” His absence, King said, is “really loud.”
“It’s important to me to honor Ian the totality of who he is — I speak about him in the present, because he is always with me,” she continued. “And the joy and happiness that he gave all of us.” King added, “I know that I share this grief with everyone, but no one else is Ian’s mom. Only me. And so it’s mine, and the sadness will never go away. It’ll always be with me.”
Cristiano Ronaldo
Legendary soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo welcomed twins with his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez in April 2022, but one of them, a son named Angel, tragically passed away. The couple shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram, writing, “It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that our baby boy has passed away. It is the greatest pain that any parents can feel. Only the birth of our baby girl [Bella] gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness.”
Later that year, in an emotional interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo spoke about coming home with only Bella and having his elder four kids ask, “Where’s the other baby?”
“Of course [I had a conversation with my son Cristiano] in the day because he’s 12 years old, he knows, understands everything, and I had a nice conversation with him. We cried together in his bedroom,” Ronaldo shared.
As for the other kids, he and Rodriguez waited longer before telling them. Ronaldo told Morgan, “After one week I say, ‘Let’s be upfront and let’s be honest with the kids, let’s say that, Angel, which is the name, they go to the Heaven.'”
The athlete continued, “The kids understand, we had shouts around the table and they say ‘Daddy I did this for ángel’ and they point to the sky. Which I like the most because he’s part of their lives. I am not gonna lie to my kids, I say the truth, which was a difficult process.”
Rickey Smiley
In January 2023, comedian and radio personality Rickey Smily lost his 32-year-old son Brandon to an accidental drug overdose. A year after the tragic accident, Smiley opened up to People about grief and why he’s sharing his healing journey in his book, Sideshow.
“When you come up on the one year, it is almost like it’s happening all over again because you’re triggered,” he said. “I was walking through my home like something was going to happen to my son all over again. It was just horrible. My anxiety was completely through the roof.”
Smiley described the experience as part of himself dying and like nothing he had ever felt before, despite his father also dying of a drug overdose. He said it sometimes makes him wish he was dead because the pain is “unbearable.”
“It’s your 32-year-old son that died, but man, you start thinking about your 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12-year-old son,” he continued. “You’re thinking about the birthday parties at Chuck E. Cheese, you’re thinking about the kid that slept in the bed with you, that you helped get dressed and brush his teeth. That’s your child. I felt it from top to bottom, inside to outside,” Smiley vulnerably shared.
'Sideshow' by Rickey Smiley
Vanessa Bryant
A little over a year after losing her husband, NBA legend Kobe Bryant, and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna in a January 2020 helicopter crash, Vanessa Bryant opened up about the ongoing process of grieving their tragic loss.
“I can’t say that I’m strong every day,” the mom of four told People. “I can’t say that there aren’t days when I feel like I can’t survive to the next. … This pain is unimaginable [but] you just have to get up and push forward.”
“Kobe and Gigi motivate me to keep going,” she shared, adding, “They inspire me to try harder and be better every day. Their love is unconditional and they motivate me in so many different ways.” Bryant said her three living daughters help her “smile through the pain” and are a source of “strength” as well.
Joe Biden
President Joe Biden has faced unfathomable tragedy during his lifetime. In 1972, his wife Neila and their 13-month-old daughter Naomi were killed in a car accident that their sons Beau and Hunter survived. Forty-three years later in 2015, Beau sadly passed away from brain cancer at 46 years old.
In 2012, the then-vice president gave a speech to military families in which he shared his own experience with loss from Neila and Naomi’s deaths four decades prior. Of the ongoing journey of grief, President Biden said, “Just when you think you’re going to make it, you’re driving down the road and you pass a field and you see a flower, and it reminds you. Or you hear a tune on the radio. Or you just look up into the night and, you know, you think, ‘Maybe I’m not going to make it, man.’ Because you feel at that moment the way you felt the day you got the news.”
He added that although grief never really goes away, the weight of loss gets lighter as time passes. “There will come a day, I promise you and your parents, as well, when the thought of your son or daughter or your husband or wife brings a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye. It will happen,” the dad of four promised.
The 46th POTUS also spoke about coping with the loss of his son during an episode of Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday. “I sometimes find myself — say something about him, and I can’t handle it. I start to break down,” President Biden shared. “So, it’s not like the pain ever goes away. But what I do is I look at my grandson, his son, and I see him. I look at my granddaughter. I see her. And I know he’s still here. I know he’s still with me.”
Nick Cannon
Nick Cannon’s son Zen, whom he shared with model Alyssa Scott, was devastatingly diagnosed with brain cancer at 2 months old, and he sadly passed away just three months later.
While the loss is tragic, the Love Don’t Cost a Thing actor is grateful for how he and Scott spent Zen’s final days. “We had some beautiful moments,” Cannon shared during an episode of Paramount+’s The Checkup with Dr. David Agus.
“We knew that the transition was coming. It happened a lot faster than we thought, but even that last weekend I kind of knew, ‘This is going to be the last weekend,'” he explained.
“Luckily, we kind of did everything from the sunrise and going to the beach and the sunset,” Cannon said of their last day together. “We said some beautiful prayers and as a family really came together in a very beautiful way. I’m grateful for (those moments), but it was definitely tough to see a child suffering and watching things shut down — it was pretty intense.”
On the first anniversary of the baby’s death, Cannon wrote on Instagram, “I can’t believe it’s been a year already since the toughest day of my life occurred. Such a painful anniversary. Losing a child has to be the heaviest, most dark and depressive experiences that I will never get over.” He added, “Continue to Peacefully Rest My Son, Zen Scott Cannon. We Love you Eternally ?????????”
Bode & Morgan Miller
After losing their 19-month-old daughter Emeline due to an accidental pool drowning, Olympic skier Bode Miller and his wife, former pro volleyball player Morgan Miller, spoke to Today about finding purpose in their unimaginable loss.
“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t pray for the opportunity to go back to that day and make it different. But now we have this opportunity to make other parents’ days different,” Morgan said. “We have the choice to live our days with purpose, to make sure that no other parent has to feel what we’re feeling.”
She added, “Guilt is a very painful thing. And even though it’s awful and living with it is terrible, and I hope and pray and beg that it gets easier, I am now much more aware [about drowning prevention and water safety] to make sure it doesn’t ever happen again.”
Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves’ daughter Ava was sadly stillborn when his former partner Jennifer Syme gave birth to her on Christmas Eve in 1999, and a year later, Syme was shockingly killed in a car accident.
The Matrix actor opened up about the back-to-back losses during a 2006 interview with Parade magazine, per People, explaining, “Grief changes shape, but it never ends. People have a misconception that you can deal with it and say, ‘It’s gone, and I’m better.’ They’re wrong.”
Reeves continued, “When the people you love are gone, you’re alone. I miss being a part of their lives and them being part of mine. I wonder what the present would be like if they were here — what we might have done together. I miss all the great things that will never be,” he vulnerably shared.
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Marie Presley’s son Benjamin Keough heartbreakingly committed suicide in 2020 at 27 years old. In a first-person essay published by People in 2022 for National Grief Awareness Day, Presley wrote, “Grief does not stop or go away in any sense, a year, or years after the loss.”
She continued, “Grief is something you will have to carry with you for the rest of your life, in spite of what certain people or our culture wants us to believe. You do not ‘get over it, you do not ‘move on,’ period.”
The mom of four candidly stated, “My and my three daughters’ lives as we knew it were completely detonated and destroyed by his death. We live in this every. Single. Day.” Presley chillingly concluded, “Just know after this day passes, for all your friends who have had a loved one die, every day is grief awareness day.”
Kelly Preston & John Travolta
Kelly Preston and John Travolta’s son Jett tragically passed away at 16 years old after suffering a seizure and hitting his head on a bathtub. Although neither Preston nor Travolta publically spoke much about Jett’s death, the Grease icon said during a 2016 appearance on Good Morning America that having their son Ben, whom they welcomed after Jett’s passing, “has been a beautiful kind of glue for us to rebound after a tremendous loss.”
Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone’s son Sage died at 36 years old from an accidental drug overdose. The Rocky icon opened up about the tragedy during a 2012 appearance on Good Morning America, per The Hollywood Reporter, during which he pragmatically said, “It’s a horrible situation, but time hopefully will heal, and you try to get through it, but it’s just something that’s a reality of life.”
Stallone added, “It’s important to get back and try to start reliving your life, otherwise you can go into a spiral.”
