Eminem’s mom, Debbie Nelson recently passed away at age 69 on Monday night in St. Joseph, Mo., following a battle with advanced lung cancer, according to TMZ.
In September, reports said that Nelson was “terminally ill” with lung cancer and didn’t have long to live.
“There are not many options [for Debbie],” a source told In Touch. “She is currently staying between the cancer center and with family members. She has a very limited amount of time left.”
The insider also said that Eminem was supporting his mom financially despite not speaking to her for “years.”
“People around her aren’t even sure if Eminem is even aware of what is happening to his mother,” said the source. “He’s good to his mom. He makes sure he takes care of her, but they don’t really talk. It would be good for both of them [to communicate]. This could give them the chance to reconcile.”
Nelson was only 18 years old when she gave birth to Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, in October 1972. She had Eminem with her high school sweetheart, Marshall Bruce Mathers, whom she married in 1970. However, they divorced shortly after Eminem’s birth.
The relationship between Eminem and his mother, Nelson, was tumultuous and marked by significant ups and downs. In 1999, Nelson sued Eminem for defamation due to lyrics from his debut album, “The Slim Shady LP,” in which he claimed that she used drugs.
As per ABC News, Nelson won the lawsuit but only received $25,000 after asking for $11 million. She reportedly walked away with less than $2,000 after lawyer fees.
In 2008, Nelson published a memoir, “My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem,” where she opened up about the pair’s fractured relationship. Nelson also claimed that she was abused by her stepfather when she was young.
About Eminem’s father, Nelson reportedly wrote in her book, “After he had rescued me from my stepfather, we started talking about our hopes and dreams for the future. I told him I prayed every night for a better life. All I ever wanted was a husband who loved me, a nice home, and a big brood of children. Bruce felt the same.”
In an interview with the Village Voice in 2008, Nelson addressed the possibility of making amends with the Grammy winner.
“I’m not ever gonna give up on my kids. I won’t give up on anybody,” she said. “There’s hope for everybody. It’s a matter of just basically swallowing your pride. It’s like a cashed check. It’s over, it’s done. You need to move on.”
