American Idol winner Jordin Sparks loses four family and friends in a single week

It’s been revealed that former American Idol winner Jordin Sparks has lost four members of family and friends in just one week.

Jordin, 28, shared the heartbreaking news that she first lost her 16-year-old step-sister Bryanna, 16, to sickle cell anemia. She then lost her cousin, Q, within a matter of days.

Shortly afterwards two of her best friends – former American Idol’s Leah Labelle, 31, and her husband Rasual Butler, 38 – also passed away. The pair died in a car accident when their vehicle lost control, veered into a parking meter and then flipped the car. Labelle appeared on the third season of the reality TV show, three years before Jordin featured. She finished 12th and was signed to Epic Records.

Jordin, who recently got married to Dana Isaiah, 25, and is expecting their first child together, shared a heartfelt tribute to her lost loved ones on Instagram.

She captioned the sad post with a message to her fans as she expressed her sorrow and heartache.

‘Four Angels in a week. My heart is just so heavy & broken. I’m in shock, numb and feel everything all at the same time. Leah & Rasual (one of my closest friends and her amazing other half who also was a great friend), Bryanna (my step sister) and Q (my little cousin), you were such bright lights in this crazy world. You made everyone better just by knowing them. And your smiles made anyone’s day better.’

‘The world is less sparkly without you in it. Rest In Peace and Power. I love you forever. Find Miles and hug him for me. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us. Don’t ever skip a chance to tell someone you appreciate them or how much you love them. Please, please continue to cover their families and our family with thoughts and prayers. #unicornsdontdie #sicklecellsux’

The Battlefield singer shot to fame during the sixth season of American Idol in 2007. At just 17 she ended up winning the show and was the youngest contestant to ever do so.

The singer has returned to the show six times to perform, and did so twice during the seventh season.

Back in 2008, the artist suffered from acute vocal cord hemorrhaging after overusing her vocal cords, and was on doctor’s orders to rest. It meant she was forced to pull out of her part in Alicia Keys’ tour but was given the all-clear to perform a few months later.

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