When she died, Sinead O’Connor was still deeply entrenched in grief over the loss of her son Shane, who died by suicide at 17 in January of 2022. The globally celebrated singer, who died July 26, took to social media in the days leading up to her own death to pour out her heart. “Been living as undead night creature since,” she wrote via Twitter on July 17 of her third child. “He was the love of my life, the lamp of my soul. We were one soul in two halves. He was the only person who ever loved me unconditionally. I am lost in the bardo without him.” Sinead’s account has since been deleted, but the tweet may have been the bellwether of more tragedy to come for the family.
On Wednesday, July 26, Sinead’s family released a heartbreaking statement mourning the death of the 90s megastar. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad,” they wrote, per The Irish Times. “Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”
Shane’s body was tragically discovered a year and a half earlier, on January 7, 2022. He died by suicide at the age of just 17. “My beautiful son, Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God,” she wrote at the time. “May he rest in peace, and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace,” O’Connor tweeted.
Sinead, who had three other children across three other relationships, struggled with her grief in the months following Shane’s death. “I’ve decided to follow my son,” she wrote via Twitter just a week after his death. “There is no point living without him. Everything I touch, I ruin. I only stayed for him. And now he’s gone.” Per CNN, she was hospitalized, tweeting again shortly after that she was already “on way to [the] hospital. I’m sorry I upset everyone. I am lost without my kid, and I hate myself. Hospital will help a while. But I’m going to find Shane. This is just a delay.”