10 Hollywood celebrities who have lost a child: From Keanu Reeves to Sylvester Stallone
10 Hollywood celebrities who suffered the loss of a child
Losing a child is undoubtedly one of the greatest tragedies of life, and no amount of luxury can lessen the misery associated with such an incident. While celebrities appear to have perfect lives, learning that they may have experienced the tragedy of losing a child highlights the fact that stars are, at the end of the day, just like the rest of us. Here are 10 Hollywood celebrities who endured the pain of losing a child:
1. Keanu Reeves
One of the most beloved Hollywood actors, Keanu Reeves, had the misfortune to experience the loss of a child in 1999. The 'John Wick' star's then-girlfriend Jennifer Syme gave birth to a stillborn daughter who they named Ava Archer Syme-Reeves. The tragedy didn't end there as Jennifer died in a car accident just 18 months after the couple lost their daughter.
2. Prince
The late musician Prince and his first wife, Mayte Garcia, welcomed a baby boy in October 1996. But the child was born with Pfeiffer Syndrome and died just a week later.
3. John Travolta
John Travolta and his wife, the late Kelly Preston, experienced the devastating loss of their 16-year-old son Jett while holidaying in the Bahamas in 2009. Travolta, who often reminisces about his late son, shared previously that Jett - who had a syndrome called Kawasaki syndrome and suffered seizures - died after hitting his head on the bathtub during a seizure.
4. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey fell pregnant after being sexually abused and gave birth to a premature baby boy at 14. The infant died after a few weeks' stay in the hospital. Oprah opened up about her painful past at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, and shared, "I did an interview with a reporter before I came to Australia and she said you should name the baby son who died. So I have named him, I had a little boy named Canaan." She added, "I did have a son. And I named him Canaan because Canaan means new land, new life," as per Kidspot.
5. Mike Tyson
Boxing legend Mike Tyson had to witness the tragic death of his four-year-old daughter, Exodus, in May 2009. His young daughter lost her life after getting accidentally asphyxiated by a cord attached to a treadmill. The death of his daughter forced Tyson to change his ways and live a sober lifestyle.
6. Anna Nicole Smith
Anna Nicole Smith's 20-year-old son Daniel Wayne Smith died of an overdose of Zoloft, Lexapro, and methadone, just three days after the birth of his little sister on September 10, 2006. His distraught mother never recovered from the shock and died of a prescription drug overdose only six months later, on February 8, 2007.
7. Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone's son with Sasha Czack, Sage Stallone, died of a heart attack on July 13, 2012. He was just 36 years of age. Many speculated that he had died of a drug overdose, but the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office later revealed that Sage's death was caused by atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, a condition in which plaque accumulates in the inner walls of the heart's arteries, narrowing them and limiting blood flow.
8. Dr Dre
Dr Dre lost his son Andre Young Jr to a heroin and morphine overdose in 2008. The music mogul's son was just 20 at the time of his death. Andre was the third of Dr Dre’s six children.
9. Nick Cannon
Nick Cannon, a proud father with 12 children, welcomed his son, Zen, with model Alyssa Scott in June 2021. However, the baby died at five months old due to brain cancer.
10. Tim Roth
Tim Roth's son, Michael Cormac Roth, died in 2022, aged just 25, after losing his battle against germ cell cancer. Before his death, Michael took to his Instagram to write, "It has taken away half of my hearing, 60 pounds of weight, my confidence, and will continue its murderous path until I can manage to stop it some how, and kill it. But it hasn’t taken away my will to survive, or my love of making music. It hasn’t taken me down yet. If you or someone you love is effected by cancer, please feel free to reach out for it is an emotional rollercoaster unlike anything else. Love to you all please make sure to do the things that you love. Life is short. It is chaos. And you never know when it’s going to be you. Be well and go to the doctor. F*** cancer."
