Brandon Blackstock’s Brother Details "Void" One Year After His Death

Kelly Clarkson Shares Rare Update on Kids After Ex Brandon Blackstock’s DeathBrandon Blackstock's brother is honoring him one year after his death. Shelby Blackstock penned a touching tribute to the talent manager—who shared daughter River, 12, and son Remy, 10, with ex-wife Kelly Clarkson—on the first anniversary of his death following a private battle with cancer. "It’s been one year since we lost you… a void that can never be filled," Shelby wrote on Instagram Aug. 7. "It still doesn’t feel real. Sometimes it feels like we’re all just busy and overdue for a catch-up call. Then reality hits all over again. It’s a painful reminder every single day." "A lot has happened this past year," the 36-year-old, whose wife Marissa Blackstock is pregnant with their first baby, continued. "As I’m getting ready to welcome my first son into the world, I’ve found myself thinking about what shaped me growing up. It truly took an army, but somehow it always came back to you." Shelby—the son of Reba McEntire and Narvel Blackstock—went on to reflect on their childhood together, and the strong sibling bond they shared. (Brandon and his two sisters are from Narvel’s marriage to Elisa Gayle Ritter.)"You welcomed me as a new little brother," he wrote, "helped raise me, and, more than anything, gave me an outrageous amount of confidence in myself. That confidence became the foundation for believing I could accomplish anything in life. It’s one of the greatest gifts anyone has ever given me." Shelby also shared that he'll be imparting the lessons Brandon—also dad to daughter Savannah, 24, and Seth, 20, with ex-wife Melissa Ashworth—taught him onto his baby boy."I wish you could have met Archer," he mused. "But in a way, I like to think you already have. I’ll do my best to pass along everything you taught me. Lucky for him, his teacher is more handsome, taller, fitter, faster, and definitely smarter." "I still might not out-hunt you just yet, but I’m working on it," Shelby joked. "I’ll see you around, cowboy. We miss you. We love you. Every single day. RIP Narvel Brandon Blackstock."Shelby Blackstock/InstagramFor her part, Kelly—who split from Brandon after nine years of marriage in 2022—had previously shared a rare update about her kids in the months after his passing. “My kids, they're 9 and 11," she said during a Q&A on the Kelly Clarkson Show YouTube channel uploaded in January. "They’re that special little fun stage where they can wipe their own behinds, but they're still small enough to, like, love cuddling and love snuggles."She continued, "There's been a lot for our family recently, and so I have allowed my kids to sleep with me quite a bit.” Keep reading for more about Brandon...Todd Williamson/Getty Images for InStyle2012Kelly Clarkson/Instagram2013Kelly Clarkson/Instagram2013Kelly Clarkson/Instagram2013Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS2013Win McNamee / Staff / GETTY IMAGES2013Michael Buckner / Staff / GETTY IMAGES2015Kelly Clarkson/Instagram2015Kelly Clarkson/Instagram2015Kelly Clarkson/Instagram2015Kelly Clarkson/Instagram2015Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Night2015John Shearer / Contributor / GETTY IMAGES2016Kelly Clarkson/Instagram2016Kelly Clarkson/Instagram2016Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Atlantic Records2017Kelly Clarkson/Instagram2017Kelly Clarkson/Instagram2018Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Contributor / GETTY IMAGES2018Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic2018John Shearer / Contributor / GETTY IMAGES2018Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic2019Steve Granitz/WireImage2020© Faye Sadou/AdMedia via ZUMA Wire2020