Shutterstock; Courtesy of Tristan Thompson/Instagram
A sudden loss. Tristan Thompson‘s mother, Andrea Thompson, reportedly died of a heart attack on Thursday, January 5.
Andrea was at home in Toronto, Canada, on Thursday when she suffered a heart attack, according to a Friday, January 6, report from TMZ. She was rushed to a local hospital for treatment, but doctors were unable to revive her. The Daily Mail and Entertainment Tonight also reported that Andrea has passed away.
The NBA player, 31, was spotted touching down in Toronto on Thursday with ex-girlfriend Khloé Kardashian, whom he dated off and on from 2016 to 2021. The reality star, 38, was photographed leaving a private jet with Tristan after flying in from Los Angeles.
Tristan has been open about his close relationship with his mother, who encouraged him to go pro after playing college basketball at the University of Texas at Austin. “He knew it was time, but he was a little bit nervous, so I told him, ‘No, it is time,’” Andrea told reporters in 2011 after her son was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers. “I told him, ‘No, it is time. You are ready. You must show the whole world that you are ready.’”
Courtesy of Tristan Thompson/Instagram
In May 2019, the former Boston Celtics player gushed over his mom in a moving Mother’s Day tribute shared via Instagram. “Happy Mother’s Day Mommy ,” he wrote at the time. “I love you soo much. I’m so blessed to have a mother that loves me the way you do and willing to sacrifice everything for her kids. .”
The athlete has also shared photos of Andrea hanging out with her grandkids. Tristan shares daughter True, 4, and a son, 5 months, with Kardashian, son Theo, 13 months, with Maralee Nichols and son Prince, 6, with Jordan Craig.
In August 2019, the Canada native posted a sweet snap of Andrea holding True, then 16 months. “GiGi and Baby Trueeee,” Tristan captioned the photo, which showed his mom smiling while cuddling her granddaughter.
The former Chicago Bulls forward has said that her mother was instrumental in helping him achieve his career goals, driving him to basketball tournaments while trying to care for his brothers as well. “Seeing her do that and be a warrior and a champ, and how much she was willing to sacrifice for me to get to that tournament so I could go play and do something that I love — it just shows her love and passion for her kids,” he said in a video shared via Instagram in May 2020.