Reba McEntire Pays Tribute to Late Stepson Brandon Blackstock After His Death at 48

Reba McEntire spoke out for the first time since her late stepson Brandon Blackstock passed away on August 7, following his cancer battle at 48 years old.

The dad-of-four's brother Shelby Blackstock posted a sweet message to his late sibling via Instagram.

"Words cannot begin to capture the tremendous loss our family has endured. Yesterday, we lost a brother, a father, a grandfather, and a son. Brandon Blackstock was an irreplaceable part of our family—funny, bright, and full of life—and he will be deeply missed. He taught me so much, leaving behind countless cherished memories that I will hold onto forever," Shelby began on August 8.

"For every treasured moment we shared, there are so many more we’ll never get to make together, but I know you’ll still be there. Every hunt, every flight, and in the everyday moments of life, I’ll feel your presence. And although it may annoy you, you’ll have to watch me do it all just a little better, a little smoother, and — let’s be honest — looking far more handsome than you ever could in the process. 😏," he continued. "We will always miss you, Brandon, and we will never stop loving, remembering and celebrating you."

In response, the country star, 70, wrote on August 11: "Very well said Shelby. Yes we will miss him so much.💔💔🙏💔❤️❤️❤️🙏💔."

Brandon, who was previously married to Kelly Clarkson, hung out with his former stepmother less than five months before his death.

“Family time, the @rodeohouston and corn dogs,” Shelby, 35, wrote via Instagram on March 5. “We had a blast in Houston watching @rissablackstock experience her first rodeo [and] being able to spend cherished time with family! Mom’s concert was the icing on the cake!”

In the photos, Shelby and his wife, Marissa Blackstock, posed with Brandon and other family members.

Brandon shared Savannah and Seth with Melissa Ashworth, as well as River Rose and Remington with the pop star.

As OK! previously reported, Brandon was fighting cancer for the last three years.

"It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away," the statement reads. "Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family's privacy during this very difficult time."

Kelly and Brandon were married from 2013 to 2020.

However, Kelly was supportive of her ex.

“Even though they went through an acrimonious divorce, Kelly made a conscious decision to protect Brandon’s privacy until the very end for the sake of their family,” a source told a news outlet. “He’d been sick for a while, but his health really took a turn for the worse earlier this year. Out of respect, Kelly chose not to say anything publicly until it became clear this week that Brandon wasn’t going to make it.”