BREAKING NEWS: A country superstar opens up about facing an unexpected wave of grief, revealing a painful chapter still echoing from past heartbreak.LC
Marissa Blackstock, the wife of Reba McEntire’s son Shelby Blackstock, announced she experienced a miscarriage following a year marked by multiple family tragedies. She shared the news in an Instagram post on Friday.
“I’ve carried more loss this year than I ever imagined I could,” Marissa wrote. “First my brother-in-law, then my dad… and now our little boy.”
For McEntire, it is yet another tragic loss.
The brother-in-law is Brandon Blastock, McEntire’s stepson, who died this year of cancer at age 48. McEntire grew close to Brandon during her 26-year marriage with his father, Narvel Blastock, Yahoo Entertainment said. They divorced in 2015.
Prior to her marriage with Blastock, McEntire was married to Charles Battles, a steer-wrestling champion who was 10 years Reba’s senior. The divorced in 1987 after more than 10 years of marriage. He died in 2013.
The couple learned they were expecting on Thanksgiving morning after trying to have a baby for three years, Marissa added. It was the first time Marissa had received a positive pregnancy test. She lost the pregnancy in the days that followed.
For Shelby and Marissa, the loss of their child adds to a difficult year for the family. In addition to Brandon’s death. Marissa also lost her father the day before she discovered she was pregnant.
Despite the loss, Marissa said the brief pregnancy gave her hope.
“He showed me that my body can do this. That hope isn’t gone,” she wrote.
RECOMMENDED
Marissa said she wanted to be transparent about their experience for those who have followed their journey to parenthood.
“Life happens quietly sometimes, and it’s such a shame we don’t talk about it more,” she added.
She wrote that she is not giving up on having a child. The post received an outpouring of support from followers.
Megan Sims is the real estate reporter for cleveland.com and a Cleveland native. She covers topics ranging from upcoming real estate developments in Northeast Ohio, the housing market and more. Previously,…
This article was produced with assistance from AI tools and reviewed by Cleveland.com staff.
