Richie Sambora is mourning a major loss. The former Bon Jovi guitarist’s mom, Joan Sambora, died on Jan. 11, just four days before she was set to turn 90, People reported.
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According to the outlet, Joan died peacefully at her Point Pleasant, New Jersey, home. A source told the outlet that Richie and his daughter, Ava Sambora, are “heartbroken” by the news.
Joan had experienced health issues in recent years. She had serious falls in both 2023 and 2024, which resulted in breaking her hip, wrist, back, and ribs, according to the outlet.
After Joan’s latest tumble, Richie moved into her basement so that he could “relentlessly” work to get “his mom back on her feet,” the source said.
In addition to supporting her himself, the source said that Richie “hired top medical care and support teams for 24/7 care to help Joan regain strength and stay comfortable.”
The steps were all taken in an effort to help Joan survive to see Ava’s May wedding to Tyler Farrar, the source said.
What to Know About Richie Sambora’s Family
Richie is Joan’s only child. The former secretary shared the rocker with Adam Sambora, who died in 2007 after a battle with lung cancer.
Amid his dad’s health battle, Richie was going through a divorce from Heather Locklear, fighting over custody of Ava, and battling addiction issues.
“It was a gang tackle from hell, basically,” Richie told People in 2008. “… You feel like you are drowning in a sea of disaster.”
After the musician “hit bottom” he checked himself into a rehab center in Utah. While there, Richie was supported by his mother and bandmates, leading him to successfully get sober.
“Crawling out of that wreckage,” Richie told the outlet, “was a very triumphant victory.”
In a 2012 interview with Music & Musicians Magazine, Richie reflected on his tumultuous few years.
“In the past seven years I’ve gone through lots of low points, lots of personal travails. My dad died of cancer, I was battling substance abuse, and I was in the middle of a divorce and facing single parenthood,” he said. “I looked up and all those years had passed. I felt compelled to take stock, and was pointed in the direction of an inward search.”
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