News | Entertainment
25 Feb 2026 12:47
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Chris Daughtry "beats himself up" over the deaths of his mother and his stepdaughter

    The 42-year-old singer lost his mother Sandra to breast cancer back in November 2021 just days before his 25-year-old stepdaughter Hannah took her own life and explained that while he dealt with each death differently, he still feels "guilt" over them both


    He said: "I dealt with both differently, processed both losses very differently - the common denominator in both is the guilt. The 'I wish I would have said this. I wish I would've done this. I wish I would've called more.'"

    The 'What About Now' hitmaker - who shot to fame when he reached the final of 'American Idol' back in 2006 with his rock band Daughtry and has been married to Hannah's mother Deanna since 2000 - was on tour when Hannah passed away and explained that "guilt" is the hardest thing to deal with when itcomes to grief because "you can't do anything about it."

    Speaking on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show', he added: "Those moments of guilt are the hardest because you can't do anything about it. There are always going to be reminders of what you could've done or whatever, and I tend to beat myself up a lot over it.

    Following the death of Hannah, the family claimed that Hannah died by suicide while under the influence of narcotics at her home in Fentress County, Tennessee, in a statement, which went on to discuss Hannah's struggles which saw her being "shot in

    the face" in 2018, shortly after her biological father committed suicide.

    At the time, Chris said he was "devastated and heartbroken" by the tragic news.

    He wrote on Instagram: "I am still processing the last 24 hours. I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken. "I just recently lost my mother to cancer but I was blessed with the chance to say goodbye and I was processing it privately. "We never got to say goodbye to our precious Hannah and it's another huge hit to our family."

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     25 Feb: Akinola Davies Jr. dedicated his EE BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut to immigrant parents who sacrificed everything to give their children a better future
     25 Feb: Sinners' Wunmi Mosaku has won her first EE BAFTA Film Award
     25 Feb: Sean Penn was dec lared Best Supporting Actor at the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards
     25 Feb: Jacob Elordi has likened filming his and Margot Robbie's steamy Wuthering Heights sex scenes to "choreographing a fight scene or a dance sequence"
     25 Feb: Chris Hemsworth's children "don't care" about his global stardom
     25 Feb: Milo Ventimiglia credits fatherhood for making him a better actor
     25 Feb: Timothee Chalamet has slammed a "punk" co-star for questioning his acting ability
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Scott Robertson will get an opportunity to coach against the Springboks this year More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    A sharp drop in alcohol production last year - although spirits had a small lift More...



     Today's News

    Business:
    A sharp drop in alcohol production last year - although spirits had a small lift 12:27

    Entertainment:
    Akinola Davies Jr. dedicated his EE BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut to immigrant parents who sacrificed everything to give their children a better future 12:21

    Wellington:
    A fruitful fan-funding exercise for injured Wellington Phoenix women's footballer Sabitra Bhandari 11:57

    Entertainment:
    Sinners' Wunmi Mosaku has won her first EE BAFTA Film Award 11:51

    Business:
    Regional airlines are waiting with bated breath - as the Government dishes out the first loan to support at-risk routes 11:27

    Entertainment:
    Sean Penn was dec lared Best Supporting Actor at the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards 11:21

    International:
    Iran signs 'secret' $700m deal for Russian air defence systems, reports say 11:17

    National:
    Trump’s plan for strikes on Iran carries major risks – and the US military knows it 11:17

    Environment:
    Three Banks Peninsula properties have been red-stickered - in the wake of last week's severe flooding and landslips 11:07

    Entertainment:
    Jacob Elordi has likened filming his and Margot Robbie's steamy Wuthering Heights sex scenes to "choreographing a fight scene or a dance sequence" 10:51


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd