Mariah Carey’s estranged sister, Alison, reportedly hoped to reconcile with her famous sister before her death.
David Baker, Alison’s friend and healthcare proxy, informed the DailyMail that Alison had been in hospice care at her apartment in Coxsackie, New York—a small town just 24 miles south of Albany—for the past month. Despite being aware of her sister’s situation, Mariah Carey did not reach out, Baker said.
According to Baker, Alison was deeply hurt by the estrangement from her mother and Mariah, though she had conflicted feelings about their relationship. Baker noted that Alison’s final wish was to have at least one conversation with Mariah.
On August 26, Mariah confirmed the deaths of both her mother, Patricia, and Alison. In a statement to People, Mariah expressed her grief: “My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend. Tragically, my sister also passed away on the same day.” She added, “I am grateful I could spend the last week with my mom before her passing and appreciate everyone’s love, support, and respect for my privacy during this difficult time.”
Baker stated that Mariah never contacted Alison during her hospice stay, but Alison’s four adult children did visit her in the weeks leading up to her death.
Mariah had been open about her estrangement from Alison, who had struggled with drug addiction. In her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, the singer referred to Alison as her “ex-sister,” alleging that Alison had tried to involve her in drug use and had caused her significant trauma as a child. Mariah cited these experiences as reasons for ending their relationship, to avoid being an enabler.
Baker said the estrangement was painful for Alison, who felt deeply hurt by Mariah’s public comments. Alison, a recovering drug addict who had worked as a prostitute and was diagnosed with HIV in 1990, continued to face challenges and was arrested for alleged prostitution in 2016. Baker confirmed that Alison did not die from cancer or HIV but from “internal organ failure.”
Baker discovered Alison unresponsive early on Saturday morning; she passed away shortly after, with no signs of distress or pain. Alison’s children visited her a few weeks before her death. In a 2016 interview, Alison had pleaded for Mariah’s help, saying, “Mariah, I love you, I desperately need your help. Please don’t abandon me like this.”
