Sad Details About Luke Bryan's Life
Unless you live under a rock, you likely recognize Luke Bryan as a country icon and a judge on "American Idol." However, what you may not know about Bryan is the series of significant losses he has endured in his life, including the deaths of both his siblings, unborn child, brother-in-law, and niece. While he may be best known for his musical talent and fun personality, Bryan's journey has been deeply influenced by emotional struggles.
"I've had so many tragedies in my life," Bryan shared in a 2021 interview with People. "It's almost like you don't want to tell the story because you don't want to feel like you're out there craving sympathy." However, despite facing immense challenges, which started when he was just a teenager, the star has decided to remain open about the devastating experiences.
"I have to remember [that] there are people out there that have gone through similar stuff that I have," he told Today in 2021, emphasizing that he perseveres in sharing his story, no matter how sad, in hopes of helping those in similar circumstances. His immediate family, which now includes his two nieces and a nephew, as well as his faith, have given him the resilience to navigate the heartbreaking times.
The country star lost his older brother when he was a teenager
Tragedy has plagued Luke Bryan's life since the 1990s, when he first lost an immediate family member. His only brother, Chris Bryan, tragically passed away in 1996 due to injuries sustained in a car accident. The "American Idol" judge was only 19 years old when Chris died at the age of 26.
The devastating death prompted Bryan to momentarily halt his plans for a music career. Instead, he opted to attend a university close to home to avoid moving away from his family, as he revealed to People in 2023. Serendipitously, Bryan met his wife, Caroline Bryan (née Boyer), while studying at Georgia Southern University. During an appearance on "Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist," the singer shared that losing his brother at such a young age made him "appreciate chasing [his] dreams."
When he was eventually ready to resume his pursuit of a music career, Bryan was better prepared than he would've been had he done it earlier. "I think at 20 I would've processed it all a lot differently, with a lot less maturity," the star told People, explaining, "When I moved to Nashville when I was 25, I could read people better. I could navigate the shady crowd." Bryan released his debut single, "All My Friends Say," in 2007, at the age of 30.
Luke Bryan's older sister passed away eleven years later
Three months prior to Luke Bryan's debut single release, he unexpectedly lost his only remaining sibling. Kelly Bryan Cheshire, who was nine years older than him, passed away in 2007 from unknown causes. "She was home with her 3-year-old, and it was like someone turned the lights out," the singer recounted the shattering loss in a 2013 interview with People, revealing, "They never determined what happened — the autopsies, the coroner — no one could figure it out."
Kelly was 39 years old at the time of her passing and had three children. In a subsequent interview with CMT, Caroline Bryan, Luke's wife, said of her late sister-in-law, "She was healthy, beautiful, and the best mom to ever walk this earth," emphasizing just how shocking Kelly's death was to the families (via Country Living).
Bryan opened up about the deaths of his siblings in "Luke Bryan: My Dirt Road Diary," a five-episode IMDb docu-series released in 2021. Despite admitting that the wounds of losing his siblings never fully healed, the country star emphasized his commitment to making the most of the life he was given by leading by example. "If I can inspire people to move on from tragedy, hopefully [through] my behavior, [then] that's what life's all about for me," the country star poignantly shared (via People).
His wife suffered a miscarriage in 2009
Although Luke Bryan has experienced his share of deaths in the family, there's one specific loss the "American Idol" judge has never publicly addressed. During an appearance on "Get Real with Caroline Hobby" in 2019, Caroline Bryan revealed that she suffered a miscarriage after the birth of their first son, Bo Bryan, who was born in 2008. "I got pregnant when we had been married for six months. I was not expecting that at all, and then we had a miscarriage."
Further in the conversation, Caroline disclosed that her husband had a hard time supporting her throughout the heartbreaking situation because he didn't have the physical experience of it all. "He just didn't get it, but as girls, when you go through it and you lose it, there is a loss, and it sucks and it hurts," she explained.
Caroline got pregnant again shortly after, giving birth to the couple's second child, Tate Bryan, in 2010. While the "American Idol" judge has never publicly spoken about the miscarriage, he's consistently been vocal about how much he loves being a dad. "I thought being on stage was an amazing feeling, but there is nothing that can top watching my wife bring our son into this world," he shared with People after Bo's birth.
Following the death of his brother-in-law, the singer took in his late sister's children
After suffering the heartbreaking losses of his siblings and unborn child, Luke Bryan faced another devastating blow with the passing of his brother-in-law, Ben Lee Cheshire, in 2014. Cheshire, who was caring for his three children — Jordan, Kris, and Til Cheshire — following the death of his late wife, Bryan's sister Kelly, had a heart attack at the age of 46. Kris and Til were still minors at the time, at 16 and 12, while Jordan was just 19 years old.
In the wake of the unimaginable sorrow, Bryan and his wife, Caroline, didn't hesitate to take all three siblings into their care, alongside their own children, Bo and Tate. In the ABC special "Living Every Day: Luke Bryan" Caroline emphasized (via ABC News): "We never thought twice about it. It was never something that he and I had to sit down and talk about. We just did it."
In a 2021 interview with People, Bryan maintained a positive outlook on life despite the incredible hardships his family has gone through. "We get to live with Kelly through her children," referring to his late sister and the bond he shares with her kids, especially Til. Bryan's connection with his nieces and nephews runs deep, and other than offering support during their toughest times, he also had the honor of walking Jordan down the aisle in 2021.
The Bryans faced another heartbreaking family death in 2017
In 2017, Luke Bryan experienced yet another death within his family when his infant niece, Sadie Brett, passed away after succumbing to a liver infection. Brett, who was the daughter of Caroline Bryan's brother and his wife, was just over six months old at the time of her passing. According to a Taste of Country report, the late Brett also had heart issues.
Ellen Boyer, Brett's mother, regularly updated her Facebook page with news on her infant's condition, though her account has since been set to private. Her final post before Brett's passing read: "Please flood the heavens with prayers. We will not give up on our tough, brave Brett," as reported by Taste of Country.
Following the tragic loss, Bryan took to his X, formerly Twitter, account to express gratitude for the outpouring of support and condolences from well-wishers. "We thank all of you for your prayers. Love y'all," he poignantly wrote. His wife shared her grief on Instagram, posting a touching tribute to her niece. "Our sweet angel. In so many ways, you were the most precious, life-changing gift to our family. You are so incredibly loved and missed," she penned under a photo of Brett.