Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, has passed away after a three-year cancer battle, his family said in a statement. The Silver Bow County Coroner, Dan Hollis, confirmed to TODAY.com that Blackstock’s cause of death was melanoma and the manner of death was natural causes.
“Brandon Blackstock passed away peacefully at his home in Butte, Montana on August 7th under hospice care surrounded by his family,” he said.
Blackstock’s family shared the news of his death on Aug. 7, writing, “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away. 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.”
Blackstock and Clarkson married in 2013 and later welcomed two children together, a girl named River Rose, 11, and a boy named Remy Alexander, 9. Blackstock was also father to two older children, a son, Seth, and a daughter, Savannah.
Blackstock was also Clarkson’s talent manager for several years.
Brandon Blackstock has passed away. He died at 48 after battling cancer, his rep revealed in a statement to Access Hollywood on Aug. 7.
Clarkson filed for divorce in 2020, and they settled in March 2022, TODAY.com reported. She had to pay both spousal and child support, and they shared custody of their children.
Clarkson and her kids live primarily in New York City, the location of her popular daytime talk show, “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”
Earlier this year, there was much speculation around Clarkson’s wellbeing after she was absent several times from her talk show between February and March. She has not shared if those absences were related to her children or ex.
Here’s what to know about Blackstock’s cause of death.
What type of cancer did Brandon Blackstock have?
On Aug. 11, a Montana coroner confirmed Blackstock had melanoma, a type of skin cancer.
Melanoma is typically caused by exposure to the sun, according to the Mayo Clinic. It accounts for 1% of all skin cancers, according to the Cleveland Clinic, but causes the majority of skin-cancer-related deaths.
What is melanoma?
Melanoma is a fast-spreading type of skin cancer that can metastasize to any organ, per the Cleveland Clinic. It occurs when melanoma-producing skin cells, called melanocytes, are damaged, usually by UV exposure.
The damaged cells will reproduce and cause black, brown, pink, red, purple or skin-colored markings on the body. About 30% of skin cancers begin as moles, but the majority appear on normal skin.
What are the symptoms of melanoma?
According to the Mayo Clinic, the two primary symptoms of melanoma are:
- Changes to existing moles
- The development of a pigmented patch on the skin or an unusual-looking growth on the skin
How is melanoma treated?
Melanomas have a 99% cure rate when caught early.
The primary form of treatment is usually surgery to remove the melanoma and surrounding tissue, the Cleveland Clinic says. This can typically be performed at a dermatologist’s office. Other forms of treatment may include:
- Lymphadenectomy: To stop the spread of melanoma, doctors might perform a lymphadenectomy to remove lymph nodes near the primary diagnosis area
- Metastasectomy: This surgical procedure removes small melanoma pieces from the organs
- Targeted cancer therapy: This treatment aims drugs directly at the cancerous cells while preserving the healthy ones
- Radiation: This treatment uses rays to attack cancer cells and reduce the size of tumors
- Immunotherapy: This will stimulate and fortify the immune system to better fight cancer cells
What has Kelly Clarkson said about her ex-husband’s cancer?
Since his passing, Clarkson has yet to make a public statement.
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