It was announced this past week that Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband and former manager, died at the age of 48. Blackstock reportedly passed away following a three-year battle with cancer. Several years ago, both Clarkson and Blackstock made headlines as they navigated their divorce. It was reported at the time that the proceedings between the two former spouses had become somewhat contentious. However, it would seem that Blackstock’s illness later “changed their perspectives.”
After they split up, Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock reportedly continued to co-parent their two children — River Rose (11) and Remington Alexander (9). Now, an insider alleges to Us Weekly that the process wasn’t always easy for the singer and talk show host. Apparently, Clarkson found it difficult, because “was the one who had to transport the kids,” with the source saying it was “really her life that was always turned upside down.” Yet after her ex’s diagnosis, Clarkson reportedly made some changes:
She is their [children’s] primary parent. But this was catastrophic for them, so immediately Kelly went into mom mode and focused on the kids and how they were coping.
The source also says that Brandon Blackstock’s cancer diagnosis didn’t actually bring him and his ex wife “closer together.” However, she did allegedly ensure that the kids “were with their dad and his family as much as possible.” Blackstock’s family, of course, includes singer Reba McEntire, who was married to his father, Narvel. The source also shared the following details about how the “Breakaway” singer made sure her children spent time with their dad:
She made a lot of concessions to make that happen. They have had a bunch of family events in the past months that she allowed her kids to be present for. They were out there [in Montana] visiting him, and I know she let them miss school a bunch to attend a family wedding and Reba [McEntire’s] rodeo concert, as well as some other things that the entire family did together. She felt it was important.
This past March, Kelly Clarkson missed tapings of her eponymous talk show ahead of its 1,000th episode. After Clarkson missed more time, rumors began to swirl around her, as she didn’t give any formal reason for her absences. It’s since been confirmed that the reason she missed those shows was so that her children could be with their father as necessary. Now, all of that seems to align with these latest comments about Clarkson’s perspective reportedly having been shifted by her ex-husband’s health issue.
Clarkson and Blackstock tied the knot in October 2013 after having begun dating over a year prior. It was in June 2020 that Clarkson filed for divorce and, from there, the former couple became engaged in a legal battle that spanned a few years. Custody disagreements and a spat over ownership of their Montana-based ranch were involved as well. Clarkson and Blackstock settled their divorce in 2022, though the pair filed legal complaints against each other again a few years later due to commissions Clarkson was legally owed.
Despite the reported drama, though, it was recently reported that Kelly Clarkson kept it “classy” after her ex became ill, and she also remained “protective” of him. At present, she’s reportedly tending to the needs of her kids. The general public can’t actually speak to the specific dynamics that existed between Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock before he died. Like CinemaBlend, though, fans can extend their condolences to Clarkson, her kids and the entire Blackstock family during this time.
