Reba McEntire issued a heartfelt statement honoring the life of her late stepson, Brandon Blackstock.
Brandon Blackstock died Thursday, August 7, at the age of 48. Brandon was the son of Reba McEntire’s ex-husband and former manager, Narvel Blackstock. He passed away after a 3-year battle with melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer.
Brandon Blackstock, ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson, passed away August 7. (Photo credit:Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Atlantic Records)
Blackstock’s family announced his death in a statement, saying:
On Tuesday, Brandon’s stepmom, Reba McEntire, posted a brief statement along with a series of photos honoring him.
She wrote: “Last week, my stepson/oldest son Brandon Blackstock went home to be with God. His struggle is over and he is in eternal peace in God’s presence. There is no one else like him, and I’m thankful for the time we had together. His legacy and laughter will be carried on through his family. Rest in peace cowboy. Happy trails to you til we meet again.”
Reba was married to Narvel Blackstock from 1989 to 2015. Brandon, one of three children Narvel shared with his ex-wife, Elisa, was only 12 years old when his father married Reba.
Reba never saw Brandon and his sisters, Chassidy and Shawna, as just stepchildren. She told The Boot in 2010, “I don’t consider Brandon, Chassidy, and Shawna stepchildren. I claim them all.”
In a 2022 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Reba addressed Brandon’s divorce from Kelly Clarkson, saying: “Brandon’s been my son forever, it seems. Although he’s my stepson, I still love him like he’s my total — my blood, so I’m praying for them both because I love them both.”