Rita Carrey – older sister to actor Jim Carrey, radio host, and singer-songwriter – has died, her husband has announced.
Her husband of a year and partner of 16 years Alex sent a message to her friends on Facebook earlier today to announce the news Rita died ‘surrounded by family and friends’ on November 14.
According to The Express US, she was 68 years old.
This comes after Ace Ventura star, 62, lost his brother John Carrey in 2019 at the age of 60 after he’d suffered with a blood condition called aplastic anaemia.
Rita’s cause of death is not known, but husband Alex’s emotional statement made clear her impact.
‘It is with a heavy heart and my deepest sadness, surrounded by her family and friends Rita passed away peacefully and quietly on November 14 2024,’ he began.
‘Rita and I (Alex) have been together for 16 years and we just got married last year in July in an outdoor wedding that she has always wanted.
‘We travelled the world and met many people who we consider friends.
‘Rita was my bestest friend, my lover and my beautiful wife. Rita always had a loving soul and wanted to help everyone, even total strangers.
‘As everyone knows Christmas was Rita’s favourite holiday, actually it was everyday for her and she started a fundraiser to help a local charity.’
He then shared information on how family and friends can remember her together, in a candlelit vigil on December 7 in St. Catharines.
Alex also encourages attendees to make an appearance at Rita’s annual event Christmas on the Terrace in support of Gillian’s Place – a charity which provides safe refuge and support programmes to end domestic violence.
He continued: ‘Donations in Rita’s memory can be made to Gillian’s place directly or at the event. Non-perishable food, children’s clothing, toiletry items or unwrapped children’s presents are encouraged.’
Alex emotionally ended his message: ‘It’s been a wonderful and crazy journey with Rita. She filled everyone’s heart with joy with every step she took and I will never forget this beautiful and amazingly talented woman.’
‘Goodbye my lover, goodbye my friend, until we meet again, you really did have the Time of your life, your bestest friend and husband. Alex.’
This time last year, Rita posted a memory on her Facebook of her late big brother John and wrote: ‘My big brother who I spent so much time with growing up. He’s gone but never forgotten.’
In 2020, a year after his brother died, Jim told The Daily Show with Trevor Noah that he wrote his book Memoirs and Misinformation for his brother John.
Jim was inspired by his brother’s resilience while living with the blood condition.
‘He wore it like a champion,’ he said. ‘Like this guy never complained. He never said, “Oh my God, I can’t do things because of what I have” or “what I am dealing with.”‘
The comedy actor hoped his brother would live in his book, as he said: ‘What I want to do is tell the world I had a very special brother.’
A few years ago in 2022, Carrey announced his plans to retire.
The Hollywood legend said he wants to at least take a break from acting in favour of ‘the quiet life’.
After Dolly Parton said she would love Jim to star in the film of her life, the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind star said: ‘Well, I’m retiring. Yeah, probably. I’m being fairly serious.
‘It depends, if the angels bring some sort of script that’s written in gold ink that says to me that it’s going to be really important for people to see, I might continue down the road but I’m taking a break,’ he added to Access Hollywood.
‘I really like my quiet life and I really like putting paint on canvas and I really love my spiritual life and I feel like, and this is something you might never hear another celebrity say as long as time exists – I have enough.
‘I’ve done enough. I am enough.’