While tragic deaths in the family are not exclusive to celebrities, when they do happen, the bubble of showbiz glamour that surrounds these talented people bursts to reveal a truly sobering fact: no one is immune to tragedy.
When celebrities pass away, we’ve come to expect outpourings of grief from fans as a natural response. Celebrities, for better or worse, embody facets of our personality – such is their talent – and we can’t help but mourn the loss. But something else happens when celebrities are struck by deaths in their families. The sad news of Julia Roberts’ 37-year-old half-sister Nancy Motes’ death by an apparent drug overdose was made more tragic in light of Motes’ earlier revelation that her more famous sibling used to criticise her weight problems.