Brandon Blackstock was diagnosed with cancer after his divorce from Kelly Clarkson.

Blackstock died on August 7, and according to a source, “he was diagnosed after the divorce.”

Blackstock and the American Idol alum tied the knot in 2013 and welcomed their daughter, River, now 11, and son, Remington, now 9.

In 2020, the Stronger hitmaker filed for divorce. The couple’s divorce process was a long, drawn-out one the singer paid her ex-husband substantial sums.

Blackstock’s family shared the news of his death in a statement yesterday, saying, “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away.”

“Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family…”

A source shared that despite Kelly’s problems with her ex-husband, she has been devastated for her kids this year as his health seemed to get worse.

“When she found out that he was sick, she remained protective of him for their sake,” the source said.

“Kelly has always tried to keep things classy. It became clear earlier this year that Brandon was not doing well. She’s been devastated for the kids,” the tipster revealed.