Shania Twain Says She Wasn’t Allowed to Grieve After Parents’ Death
A Tragic Loss That Changed Everything
Traveloasisspot.com – The country music star recently opened up about a difficult period in her life, explaining that she wasn’t able to properly mourn after losing both parents in a car crash. The singer shared these memories during a heartfelt interview on Desert Island Discs, hosted by Lauren Laverne.
The devastating accident happened in 1987 when she was just 22 years old. Her mother Sharon and stepfather Jerry died in a head-on collision with a truck. Jerry had become her legal guardian when she was only four, making his loss even more significant.
At that time, she lived in Toronto studying computer programming. Her world turned upside down when her sister called with the heartbreaking news. She described collapsing upon hearing the news over the phone, while her younger brother’s cries echoed in the background.
“I collapsed hearing that news over the phone,” she told Laverne. “My sister called me and I could hear my little brother howling in the background.”
Forced to Grow Up Too Fast
The tragedy forced her to immediately take on the role of guardian for her three younger siblings. The children refused to be separated and needed to stay together, so she moved back to the family home.
With her eldest sister already married and living elsewhere, she found herself managing responsibilities she had never faced before. She took out a second mortgage on the family house to provide financial security during this challenging time.
“I leave Toronto of course and am back in the last family home we had that the kids were still living in and moved back in,” she explained. “My older sister was gone and was married with two children and had her own life in another town. I had to do a lot of things I knew nothing about like take out a second mortgage for the house to sustain what is going to happen next.”
Beyond raising her siblings, she had to handle her parents’ business affairs. She organized equipment sales and spent time in legal offices as lawsuits emerged from both the car passengers and the truck driver involved in the crash.
“There were so many complexities to the accident itself. I wasn’t allowed to grieve because I was thrown into this state of guardianship and executor, plus I don’t have a job,” she continued.
Building a Future
Eventually, she secured a job at a golf resort located six hours from their hometown. She later relocated there with her siblings, as the position provided steady income and allowed her to continue pursuing music.
During the interview, she also discussed her parents’ troubled marriage, revealing that she often felt compelled to protect her mother from her father’s abuse. She described how he would frequently choke her and engage in behavior that led to serious consequences.
“It was bad. He would choke her a lot and do things that don’t end well,” she said.
She eventually married renowned record producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange in 1993. The couple welcomed their son Eja in 2001 but separated seven years later following Lange’s affair with her closest friend, Marie-Anne Thiebaud. Interestingly, it was Marie-Anne’s husband, Frederic Thiebaud, who informed her about the infidelity.
“I didn’t know anything that was going on, but he then took the blinders off and told me. I didn’t believe him and told him he was imagining things,” she recalled.
Both couples ultimately decided to end their marriages. She and Frederic Thiebaud found love and married in 2011.
The five-time Grammy Award winner has achieved remarkable success throughout her career. She has produced nine UK top ten singles, including beloved hits such as “You’re Still The One,” “From This Moment On,” and “Don’t Be Stupid.” Her discography features three number one albums: 1998’s “Come On Over,” 2017’s “Now,” and 2023’s “Queen Of Me.”
The complete Desert Island Discs episode featuring her story will be available on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 4 starting Sunday at 10am.
