Making things even harder. Chrishell Stause‘s relationship with her mom — who was recently diagnosed with lung cancer — has improved for the better despite not being able to see each other amid the coronavirus quarantine.
“My mom is suffering from stage 4 lung cancer and because of COVID I haven’t been able to see her,” the Selling Sunset star, 38, exclusively told Us Weekly in May while promoting the new season of her series Selling Sunset. “However, now we talk on the phone every day, which we never did before. In the strangest turn of events, something that by design is keeping us apart has actually made us closer than ever.”
Stause revealed that her mother was diagnosed with lung cancer in an emotional Instagram post in honor of World Cancer Day on February 4.
“I just found out today is #worldcancerday eerily on the same day I found out my mom has 1 to 2 months to live from the same lung cancer that took my dad on Easter,” she wrote at the time. “I can’t make sense of what life is teaching me yet, but my heart is with every person fighting this horrible disease and every person that it robbed a loved one from.”
The reality star’s father passed away after his own battle with lung cancer in April 2019. Stause took to Instagram to honor his memory with a throwback photo of her dad.
“We lost you today but it was a long terrible battle with cancer that started taking you years ago. I choose to remember you the way you were before it took it’s hold on you,” she wrote alongside the picture. “You are at peace now, and ever the Catholic man at heart, I think you chose Easter for a reason.”
The Youthful Daze alum added, “I grew up in an unconventional family and my dad was a drummer-the heartbeat of the music. Today we lost the heartbeat of our family but I am happy knowing he took his music to heaven. It just got alot [sic] more rock and roll up there. We love you so much.”
Her mother’s health issues aren’t the only challenge that the Netflix star is facing. Stause and her estranged husband, Justin Hartley, separated after two years of marriage in November 2019 — just seven months after the loss of her father.
A source revealed to Us in December 2019 that their split was “a big surprise to everyone around Justin and Chrishell in terms of their friends,” but added, “Justin had been having problems with the marriage for a while.”
Celebrity Splits of 2020
Stause told Us that she’s staying optimistic despite her separation from the This Is Us star, 43.
“Transitions are hard, but I always try to focus on the positive side of things,” she explained. “Thankfully there is a lot to focus on right now.”
Season 2 of Selling Sunset premieres on Netflix on May 22.
With reporting by Kayley Stumpe
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