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As we’ve previously reported, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, passed away last week at the age of 48.
Clarkson’s feelings toward Blackstock were likely rather complex in his final years.
Their divorce was infamously contentious, but they also had two children together, and she credited him with inspiring her to launch her own talk show.
Now it seems that the situation was even more complicated than we realized, as Blackstock was living with Kelly’s former assistant at the time of his death.
Kelly’s former assistant described as Brandon’s ‘soulmate’
According to an obituary obtained by TMZ, Brittney Marie Jones was the “loving partner” who resided with Blackstock in Montana in the final years of his life.
“Brandon, along with his beautiful and loving partner in life and business, Brittney Marie Jones, started building a life, building companies, and working tirelessly to create Headwaters Livestock Auction and what will live on as his legacy, The Valley View Rodeo in Bozeman, Montana,” reads the obit.
The relationship was reportedly confirmed by a social media post from Jones’ father.
“Yesterday we lost a good man, Brandon Blackstock my daughter’s soulmate and I considered him my son,” he wrote, according to Page Six.
The outlet notes that the post is no longer available to the public.
Blackstock has been the subject of several moving tributes in the days since his death, including one from his former stepmother, Reba McEntire.
“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,” McEntire wrote on her social media pages, adding:
“Rest in peace cowboy. Happy trails to you til we meet again.”
“The best thing Brandon has left for his children is they know where he is. I’ve heard it said, ‘Nothing is lost when you know where it is’ and Brandon is with Jesus his Savior,” Blackstock’s first wife wrote on her Instagram page.
“There’s no one else on this earth that I would want to be my dad because no one can be half the man you were to me,” Brandon’s eldest son, Seth Blackstock, wrote in his own post.
Kelly Clarkson reportedly ‘devastated’ by Brandon Blackstock’s death
While Clarkson has yet to publicly comment on her ex’s passing, sources close to the singer say she’s “devastated” by Blackstock’s death.
Over the course of the past year, there was widespread speculation about Clarkson’s frequent absences from her talk show.
It now looks as though she was attending to family matters ahead of Brandon’s passing.
Our thoughts go out to Kelly and all of Brandon Blackstock’s loved ones during this enormously difficult time.
