They say a parent's world comes crashing down when they lose a child since their kid was one of life's greatest gifts. The loss of a child is a tragedy no parent, famous or not, ever plans for. When a celebrity's child dies, the media goes into overdrive to cover the story and get an interview or glimpse of the grieving celebrity.
Although hardly every famous person has lost a child at the pinnacle of their career, those who have are often the focus of ongoing discussions about celebrity tragedies. The lives of some famous people are the antithesis of the happily ever afters depicted in films.
8. O.J. Simpson
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Before being tried for murdering his ex-wife, O.J. Simpson's loss hurt. Simpson married Marguerite Whitley and had three children before his misdeeds became public. Aaren Simpson, his youngest daughter, drowned in 1979. A month before her second birthday, Lisa Simpson drowned in the Simpsons' pool. The former football star and his high school love couldn't bear their daughter's unexpected death. Grief drove them to end their 12-year marriage that year.
7. Dr. Dre
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Artists record successful singles with Dr. Dre. His career was at its peak, but his son's death overshadowed everything. Andre Young Jr., 20, was found dead in his bed after a night out with friends. The toxicology report showed that the producer's kid overdosed on drugs and morphine. The multiplatinum record producer delivered a statement following his son's death. Dre's son Andre Young Jr. died. Andre Jr. was Dr. Dre's third kid with five different women.
6. Keanu Reeves
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Despite his Hollywood success, Keanu Reeves' anguish is more terrible than any award-winning drama film. Jennifer Syme, Reeves' girlfriend, delivered their stillborn daughter in 2000. The loss of their daughter Ava Archer Syme-Reeves harmed their relationship, and they split weeks after her birth. Syme was instantaneously killed a year after Ava's death when she rolled her automobile after sideswiping parked cars. Since losing his daughter and mother, Reeves has reportedly had a lonely life.
5. Sylvester Stallone
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After making his acting debut alongside his father, Sylvester Stallone, in Rocky V, the young Stallone showed promise in Hollywood. Sage Stallone's cinematic career took off after he appeared in the franchise. Stallone worked in front of and behind the camera. Despite early success, he died aged 36. The actor-turned-director died in 2012 at home. Early reports assumed Stallone committed himself because he hadn't been heard from in four days, and empty pill bottles were found at his death. The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office eventually confirmed that the actor's kid died of a heart attack caused by atherosclerosis.
4. Joe Biden
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Joe Biden's family went through a difficult time before he became VP. Neilia Biden and their three children died in an automobile accident in 1972. Six weeks after winning Delaware's Senate seat, Biden crashed. Biden lost Neilia and their 13-month-old daughter Naomi while Christmas shopping. Biden's sons Beau and Hunter spent months in the hospital recovering from life-threatening injuries. The Vice President found love when he married Jill. Beau Biden died of brain cancer in May 2015.
3. Mike Tyson
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Mike Tyson had a successful boxing career, but the murder of his daughter rocked his personal life. 4-year-old Exodus died in 2009. Her 7-year-old brother found her strangled by a treadmill rope. Although the treadmill wasn't operating, her death was caused by messing with the cables. Exodus' mother did CPR after calling 911, but she needed life support. The machine couldn't heal her body, so she removed it. In 2011, Tyson appeared on Ellen DeGeneres' show and described how his daughter's death prompted him to clean up his act and live sober.
2. John Travolta & Kelly Preston
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Their picture-perfect lives were shattered when their 16-year-old son, Jett, died. In 2009, the actor's kid injured his head in a bathtub in the Bahamas and died. As a child, Jett was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease, which can cause artery inflammation, but his seizure history contributed to his death. Jett used the anti-convulsion medicine Depakote despite being a Scientologist and rejecting pharmaceutical drugs. The drug he used for years gradually lost its effectiveness, and the Travoltas worried it might do physical harm. Since his death eight years ago, the celebrity's parents hardly talk about him.
1. Prince
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Prince's lively life turned somber after Ahmir's death. In October 1996, the singer and his backup dancer/wife, Mayte Garcia-Nelson, lost their newborn son. Prince's baby died of Pfeiffer's Syndrome, a bone defect. The "Purple Rain" artist and his wife cremated their child and wrote out a fake death certificate to keep their sorrow quiet. The once-happy couple miscarried after Ahmir's death drifted apart, and divorced. Prince died in April, and Garcia briefly discussed their son's death at his memorial. Garcia adopted Gia in 2013.