'Queen of Versailles' star Jackie Siegel's husband and sister die days apart
Jackie Siegel is mourning the loss of her husband of 25 years, David Siegel, 89, as well as her sister, Jessica Mallery, 43. The two died within days of each other.
On Sunday, the Florida socialite, who was featured alongside David in the 2012 documentary "The Queen of Versailles," took to social media to share the news of her husband's death with her nearly 200,000 followers.
"I wanted to personally reach out and let you know that my husband, David Alan Siegel, passed away this morning," she wrote on Instagram. "I was lucky enough to share twenty-five wonderful years with David, and together we raised eight incredible children. His life and legacy live on through them all."
"To say we are devastated is an understatement. But I find comfort in knowing that Victoria [the couple's late daughter] was there to greet him – the first thing he heard was 'Dad,' followed by a big hug," she wrote. "And of course, Steven [David's son from a previous marriage who died of cancer in 2024] is there too. That thought brings me so much peace."
"I know you all loved him too, which is why I wanted to share this with you," she continued. "Thank you for your love and support during this difficult time. It means the world to us. Life is a precious gift from God – and my husband has found his peace with Him. Embrace and cherish every moment – and thank God."
According to the Las Vegas Journal-Review, David had been living with cancer prior to his death on April 5 and was surrounded by family when he died.
On Tuesday, just three days later, Jackie revealed that her sister had died of an accidental drug overdose.
"As I mourn the profound loss of my beloved husband David Siegel, who passed away on April 5 at the age of 89, my world was shattered again yesterday by the unexpected loss of my beautiful sister, Jessica Mallery, 43, to a scourge we as a family sadly know too well – accidental drug overdose," Jackie said in a statement posted to the Victoria's Voice Foundation Instagram page.
The foundation was created after David and Jackie's daughter, Victoria, died of an overdose in 2015.
"Jessica died after using cocaine laced with fentanyl," she continued. "Her death is another stark reminder of the drug epidemic and fentanyl crisis plaguing our country – and the urgent need to address substance abuse in order to save lives. Our work at Victoria's Voice remains more critical than ever, and in her memory, we will continue to raise awareness and advocate every single day until this form of grief is a distant memory in this country."
"Our family appreciates everyone's love, support and prayers, and we ask for privacy during this extremely difficult time," the post concluded.
A representative for Jackie did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
"My daughter loved life," Jackie told Fox News Digital of her late daughter in 2019. "She was kind of like a hippie. She didn't care about money, designer clothes or anything like that. She loved to make her own tie-dye shirts and run around barefoot on the beach. She always looked for the good in people. She was just a typical teenager who went to a public school. In front of our faces, she seemed completely sober. She should have won an Academy Award for acting because she appeared drug-free, but she wasn't."
Jackie learned of Victoria's personal journal, which chronicled a shocking secret life, after her death. In 2019, Jackie decided to publish Victoria's secret diary in hopes that no other parent would lose their child to drugs as she did. She titled the book, "Victoria's Voice: Our Daughter's Losing Battle with Drug Abuse."
"We did not know she was doing drugs," she said. "It happened right under our noses. That's one of the reasons we wanted to get this book out. We want other parents to know that if it can happen to us, it can be happening to them. They really need to open their eyes. Looking back, there were all kinds of warning signs that I wished I knew. Now we want to share them with other parents.
"Her dying wish in the form of a text was that she wanted me to find her diary where it was hidden and to publish it because she felt it would help save other teenagers' lives. I just felt I needed to carry on with her legacy. It's been a very difficult thing for me because it's something so personal. I've been a bit of a recluse during these last few years. But I finally have the courage to come out in the public eye."
Fox News Digital's Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this post.
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