Kelly Clarkson ‘Devastated’ by Ex Brandon Blackstock’s Death (Report)

On Thursday, news broke that Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband Brandon Blackstock died after a three-year battle with cancer.

According to TMZ, Blackstock passed way after fighting melanoma, an aggresive skin cancer.

A source told People magazine that Clarkson is “devastated” by the sad news.

Their children River, 11, and Remington, 9, will now grow up without their father.

The insider shared, “When she found out that he was sick, she remained protective of him for their sake. Kelly has always tried to keep things classy. It became clear earlier this year that Brandon was not doing well. She’s been devastated for the kids.”

In 2020, Kelly and Brandon called it quits after seven years of marriage, and they finalized their contentious divorce two years later.

The source noted, “The divorce was incredibly difficult for her — messy, painful, and something she felt terrible about. But she always wanted her kids to have the best relationship possible with their dad. She never spoke poorly about Brandon to the kids.”

Meanwhile, Blackstock's daughter Savannah Blackstock Lee from his previous marriage to Melissa Ashworth, had just posted a photo of her and her dad on July 20. In the photo, they are both grinning, and Savannah wrote, "Back home to the mountains & my daddy." TMZ has the photo here.

A day before his death, Kelly announced that she was postponing her Las Vegas residency.

Without revealing his cancer battle, Kelly wrote on Instagram, “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.”

She went on, “I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows and I so appreciate your grace, kindness, and understanding.”

Less than a day later, Brandon’s family told People magazine, “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.”