Originally appeared on E! Online .

Reba McEntire didn’t need a fancy word to describe her bond with Brandon Blackstock.

Because when she wed his father Narvel Blackstock in 1989, Brandon and his siblings Chassidy Blackstock and Shawna Blackstock became just family.

"I don't consider Brandon, Chassidy and Shawna stepchildren," the singer told "The Boot" back in 2010. "I claim them all."

And recently their family — which also includes Reba and Narvel’s son Shelby Blackstock — suffered a tragic loss when Brandon died at the age of 48 .

"Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years," a family rep told NBC News in an Aug. 7 statement. "He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family."

During Brandon’s lifetime, Reba had let her love for him and his siblings, whos

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