Despite that hardship, the American Idol judge admitted that his own loss was partially alleviated by having his sister’s kids around.
“I can see her in them,” he added. “I can see mannerisms in them. I can see so many tangible things in my nieces that are my sister.”
In 2014, however, Luke and his family experienced what he called another “unbelievable scenario” when Kelly’s widower Ben Lee Cheshire suddenly died of a heart attack in 2014 at 46.
“At this point in life, you’re like, ‘What’s going on here, God? What have we done to have this happen?’” Luke explained. “It just hit me like a ton of bricks.”
Following that tragedy, Luke and his wife Caroline Boyer—who share Thomas, 17, and Tatum, 15—officially adopted Luke’s nephew Til, and became parental figures for his nieces.
“It’s just what you do as family,” he said. “You do what you can to try and make it.”
Despite all the heartbreak in his life, Luke emphasized that his grief has put life into perspective.
“I’ve just been put in situations where I really try to appreciate every day,” he noted, “and appreciate every moment that you can with people and people that you love.”
