Debbie Nelson dead at 69

Eminem’s mom, Debbie Nelson, has died at age 69.

Nelson passed away Monday night in St. Joseph, Missouri, after a battle with advanced lung cancer, according to TMZ.

In September, reports said that Nelson was “terminally ill” with lung cancer and didn’t have long to live. 

“There are not many options [for Debbie],” a source told In Touch. “She is currently staying between the cancer center and with family members. She has a very limited amount of time left.”

The insider also said that Eminem, 52, was supporting his mom financially despite not speaking to her for “years.”

“People around her aren’t even sure if Eminem is even aware of what is happening to his mother,” said the source. “He’s good to his mom. He makes sure he takes care of her, but they don’t really talk. It would be good for both of them [to communicate]. This could give them the chance to reconcile.”

Nelson was only 18 years old when she gave birth to Eminem (born Marshall Bruce Mathers III) in October 1972. She had Eminem with her high school sweetheart, Marshall Bruce Mathers, whom she married in 1970. They got divorced after Eminem’s birth.

The relationship between Eminem and Nelson was always up and down. In 1999, Nelson sued Eminem for defamation over the lyrics of his debut album “The Slim Shady LP,” where he claimed she did drugs.

According to ABC News, Nelson won the lawsuit but only received $25,000 after asking for $11 million. She reportedly walked away with less than $2,000 after lawyer fees.

In 2008, Nelson published a memoir, “My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem,” where she opened up about the pair’s fractured relationship. Nelson also claimed that she was abused by her stepfather when she was young.

About Eminem’s father, Nelson reportedly wrote in her book, “After he had rescued me from my stepfather, we started talking about our hopes and dreams for the future. I told him I prayed every night for a better life. All I ever wanted was a husband who loved me, a nice home, and a big brood of children. Bruce felt the same.”

In an interview with Village Voice in 2008, Nelson addressed the possibility of making amends with the Grammy winner.

“I’m not ever gonna give up on my kids. I won’t give up on anybody,” she said. “There’s hope for everybody. It’s a matter of just basically swallowing your pride. It’s like a cashed check. It’s over, it’s done. You need to move on.”

In 2013, Eminem released his song “Headlights,” in which he apologized to his mom for their beef.

Nearly a decade later, Nelson skipped her son’s 2022 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but she did share a now-deleted video on X (formerly Twitter) where she congratulated him on the honor.

“Marshall, I want to say, I could not let this day go by without congratulating you on your induction into the Hall of Fame,” Nelson said, according to People.

“I love you very much. I knew you’d get there. It’s been a long ride. I’m very, very proud of you,” she added.

Nelson had a second son, Nathan Samra-Mathers, with a man named Fred Sarma Jr. in February 1986. Nathan ended up in foster care before Eminem got custody of his younger brother.