Samantha Jade first graced Australia with her talent in 2012, winning the fourth season of X Factor.
But two years after her rise to fame, tragedy struck the pop princess when she lost her mum.
Jacqueline passed away just a few months after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer that had spread to her liver.
The singer and her family announced the sad news via a statement to The West Australian.
“Our beautiful mother Jacqueline Deans Gibbs passed away peacefully with family by her side on June 8th, 2014,” it read.
“She fought till the very end with the strength and grace by which she lived her life and will be deeply missed. We appreciate your kind words, prayers, and respect for our family during this very difficult time.”
Reflecting on her late mum in 2023, Samantha described her as a “special person who just lit up the room”.
“She had this superpower of being able to build a person up and make them feel like a million bucks,” she told our sister site WHO.
Samantha even credits her mum for her singing career, confessing: “I don’t know I’d have gotten so far with my music if it hadn’t been for her support.”
For Samantha, it’s been hard experiencing milestones without her “best friend” by her side.
In 2022, the musician secretly tied the knot with her partner Pat Handlin. But there was one seat that was glaringly empty.
“I knew that my wedding day would be hard,” Samantha said.
“When I have occasions that I want to celebrate, I accept I will feel like an equal measure of sadness too. I always feel her with me, though, and on the big day I wore her wedding ring so [I] felt her presence there.”
In the final days of Jacqueline’s life, the proud mum encouraged her daughter to “get back in the (music) studio” and follow “her passion”.
“My mum loved to dance, she was always the first one up on the dance floor, so I know she’d be really proud of me now for continuing on,” the Step Up singer said.
On the 10 year anniversary of her mother’s death, Samantha shared an emotional tribute – which included photo of her family basking in a sunset.
“She loved watching the sunset at her favorite Cottesloe beach so when we want to feel a little closer to her it’s where we go,” the Dancing With The Stars contestant wrote on Instagram.
“Although life has been so different without her here and we miss her deeply, we are so grateful to have each other and truly know what unconditional love is 🤍.”
