Lauren Alaina Thanks Fans After Losing Loved One Known by Millions of Viewers

When country star Lauren Alaina auditioned for “American Idol” in 2011, judges Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez, and Randy Jackson were blown away by the then-15-year-old’s powerful voice.

Along with millions of viewers, they were also touched by the powerful story of who inspired Alaina to audition: her older cousin Holly Witherow. After surviving brain cancer in 2008, per People, she was standing by Alaina’s side as she belted out Faith Hill’s “Like We Never Loved At All.”

“She’s the reason I ever started singing,” Alaina told the judges of Holly. “I would go to her house and we would go to her room and listen to music, and just sing all the time. And she urged me to try out, so here I am!”

But on July 19, 2025, Alaina — who was season 10’s runner-up to Scotty McCreery — shared the sad news with fans that Witherow had died at age 41, several years after suffering a life-altering brain bleed. Alaina thanked fans for loving her cousin since she first appeared on “American Idol” 14 years prior.

On July 18, Alaina wrote in her Instagram Stories, “I know so many of you loved and prayers for Holly after seeing her story in my ‘American Idol’ audition. You have prayed. You have loved her. You have supported us. We are forever grateful. Holly finally got complete and total healing and is walking with Jesus. Please continue to pray for our family as we grieve such a tremendous loss.”

Witherow had been struggling since 2019, when she suffered a “random brain bleed” and slipped into a coma, Alaina told Access Hollywood. She was competing on “Dancing With the Stars” at the time and had to fly home to Georgia to support her family, including Wintherow’s mom — Alaina’s Aunt Kim.

“It was not looking very good,” Alaina told People at the time. “But if I can say anything about her, Holly, she’s a stage four cancer brain tumor survivor. They told her she was going to die 12 years ago and she did not. She was at my ‘American Idol’ audition, she taught me how to sing, she is one of the most important people in my life. She is like a sister to me.”

Lauren Alaina Introduced Her Baby Girl to Her Cousin Days Before Her Passing

Witherow did miraculously emerge from her coma in 2019, but continued to have significant ups and downs in her health. In a 2023 update, Alaina said her cousin had spent a long time unable to speak but was in a rehab facility, fighting her way back.

Alaina, who gave birth to her first child on June 13 — daughter Beni Doll Arnold — was able to introduce her baby girl to Witherow days before her death. Alaina and her husband, Cam Arnold, brought baby Beni to meet and snuggle with Witherow, whose mom — Alaina’s Aunt Kim — captured photos of the sweet meeting.

“Holly loved holding baby Beni and seeing Lauren,” Kim wrote over a montage of videos she shared on July 5.

On the day of Witherow’s death, Kim shared her daughter’s obituary on Facebook, which said the family will gather on July 21 for a private time of remembrance, and a funeral service will be held on July 22.

She wrote of her daughter’s passing, “My sweet and loving Holly ran the race and finished her work here on this earth! I don’t know how I’m going to live without her sweet smile every morning! The only comfort I have is that she is pain free.”