Artist Tracey Emin has shared the news of her elder brother Alan's death, which occurred while she was hospitalized for sepsis and diverticulitis. Emin, 63, revealed the news on Instagram, stating she had been suffering from infections for weeks before her hospitalization.
"My elder brother Alan died last week," Emin wrote. "I was expecting it but not expecting it. I know he is where he wants to be. I keep trying to tell myself the loss and sadness is mine. He is soaring high in a much better place."
She described Alan as a "kind and gentle soul" and expressed her deep affection for him. Emin's own health struggles have been ongoing since her bladder cancer diagnosis six years ago. She recently spent eight days in the hospital, experiencing what she described as "borderline sepsis and an acute attack of diverticulitis."
"I've been suffering for weeks on and off, one infection after another," she stated. "It makes me so weak. Every bit of pain, every heartbreak feels like the heaviest weight trying to crush me."
Emin underwent significant surgeries in 2020 after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of bladder cancer. These procedures included the removal of her bladder, urethra, lymph nodes, and parts of her intestine and vagina. Following the surgery, she was fitted with a stoma pouch, a medical device to manage bodily waste.
She has been open about her adaptation to life after these surgeries, frequently sharing updates on her health. In a previous Instagram post, Emin discussed the stoma bag, acknowledging its life-sustaining function while also expressing the personal challenges and emotional impact it has.
"This is my stoma. Most people have never seen one. It's something I'm supposed to hide forever," she wrote previously. "It's part of my intestine attached to the outside of my body. Without it being there and functioning correctly, I will die."
Emin concluded her recent post with a reflection on the current state of the world and a message to her brother: "Alan was right to take his leave. I love you Alan. Rest in peace."
