How did Shaquille O'Neal's sister die? A closer look at Ayesha Harrison-Jex's life as Shaq's sister and her tragic demise

Tyson Fury v Deontay Wilder
Shaquille O'Neal, Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder

Growing up, Shaquille O'Neal had three siblings. There was his brother Jamal and two sisters, Ayesha and Lateefah.

Sadly for Shaquille O'Neal, he has already had to say goodbye to one of the three people he grew up alongside. In 2019, Ayesha Harrison-Jex passed away after a long battle with cancer. She was diagnosed while still in college but persevered through the ordeal and got her bachelor's and master's degrees. She was 40 at the time of her passing and is survived by her son, Bryce.

As expected, the Hall of Fame center took this news hard. After seeing his sister fight for so long, he was eventually forced to say goodbye. Fortunately for Shaquille O'Neal, he has a strong support system behind him. During a TNT broadcast that night, his co-hosts on "Inside the NBA" paid tribute to Ayesha following the tragic news.

“When he struggles, we struggle with him because he’s one of our brothers. The big fella who is described as the ‘biggest kid in the world,’ his heart is breaking tonight.

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

“He said his world revolves around his brother and two sisters, and he lost one of his sisters this morning, far too early, at the age of 40, of cancer.”

Shaquille O'Neal still struggles with the loss of his sister

The LA Lakers legend is best known for his vibrant personality. While he can light up any room he's in, that doesn't mean Shaq doesn't have his own internal battles and struggles.

A few weeks ago, Shaquille O'Neal released the latest of his many ventures following his time in basketball. He partnered with HBO to release a documentary series about his life titled "SHAQ."

The 15-time All-Star did not shy away from getting very personal when talking about his life. He even mentions the tragic passing of his sister three years ago. Even after all this time, Shaquille O'Neal said it is something that still keeps him up at night.

“I don’t go to bed till 5 AM… Ever since Kobe [Bryant] and my sister died I can’t sleep.”

Losing a sibling can take a toll on anyone. Not to mention losing a close friend and former teammate unexpectedly a year later. Despite all this, Shaq still manages to shine a bright light on anyone he is around.

While he's considered one of the most dominant big men in NBA history, Shaq is a bit of a gentile giant. In the heat of competition, he will always try to win, but deep down, he is extremely caring and kind-hearted.

Quick Links

Edited by Kevin McCormick
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications