Jordin Sparks' Stepsister Dies at 16 Years Old
Jordin Sparks and her family are mourning the death of her 16-year-old stepsister, Bryanna [...]
Jordin Sparks and her family are mourning the death of her 16-year-old stepsister, Bryanna Jackson-Frias.
Bryanna died on Tuesday from complications from sickle cell anemia. Sparks' mom, Jodi Jackson, made the sad announcement on Facebook Wednesday, paying tribute to her young daughter.
"Bry went peacefully to Heaven. I can't help to think [that] she's smiling just like this. Thank you all for your prayers," Jackson wrote.
Bryanna had struggled with sickle cell anemia, which causes red blood cells to get stuck in small blood vessels, blocking blood flow and preventing oxygen from reaching tissues, throughout her entire life.
Sparks, 28, asked her followers on her Instagram Story on Tuesday to keep her stepsister in their prayers.
"Please keep my little sister, Bryanna, in your prayers," the American Idol alum captioned an Instagram Story. "She's suffering from complications from sickle cell and is in the ICU fighting for her life."
In addition to Bryanna, Sparks also revealed that she also lost a younger cousin, whom she referred to as "Q." She posted about her grief about her family members' deaths in the same post as she mentioned the deaths of former American Idol contestant Leah LaBelle and NBA husband Rasual Butler.
Her heartwrenching Instagram caption mentioned losing "four angles in a week."
"My heart is just so heavy & broken. I'm in shock, numb and feel everything all at the same time," Sparks wrote in a caption of a photo gallery of the four.
"Leah & Rasual (one of my closest friends and her amazing other half who also was a great friend), Bryanna (my step sister) and Q (my little cousin), you were such bright lights in this crazy world. You made everyone better just by knowing them. And your smiles made anyone's day better. The world is less sparkly without you in it. Rest In Peace and Power. I love you forever," Sparks wrote.
"Tomorrow is not promised to any of us. Don't ever skip a chance to tell someone you appreciate them or how much you love them. Please, please continue to cover their families and our family with thoughts and prayers."
LaBelle and Butler died in a car crash early Wednesday morning, authorities said, after their vehicle was traveling at high speeds and Butler apparently lost control of the car. The Range Rover struck a parking meter and slammed into a wall. The car also reportedly flipped.
LaBelle was an R&B singer who was signed to Epic Records. She placed 12th on season 3 of American Idol in 2004. Butler had a long career in the NBA, playing for the Hornets, Clippers, Bulls, Raptors, Pacers, Wizards and Spurs, up until 2016. He most recently played in Ice Cube's BIG3 league.
Before the NBA, he played for La Salle University in Philadelphia. He is in the university's Hall of Athletes.
The sad news for Sparks comes months after she revealed that she was secretly married and expecting. In November, she announced that she quietly married model boyfriend Dana Isaiah, 25, in July; the pair will welcome their first child — a son — this spring.
Photo credit: Instagram / @jordinsparks
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