Diplo's mom dies just one month after his sister
Dominic Smithers
Featured Image Credit: Frazer Harrison/Staff / Instagram/@diplo
Diplo's mom has tragically died just a month after his sister passed away.
The music producer - real name Thomas Pentz - took to social media yesterday to confirm the tragic news that Barbara died on Wednesday (23 August).
In a post to Twitter, the 44-year-old said he was devastated by the loss of his mom, who was 73 at the time.
He told his fans that it felt like a 'gut punch' and he sobbed in the airport bathroom after finding out.
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“My momma just passed away. I would trade a kidney to take away the cosmic gut punch I feel right now,” Diplo tweeted.
“I cried in the airport bathroom I made small puddle and then almost slipped. Now I’m gonna walk into the ocean and look for a shark to fight, might be the only cure for grief.”
As yet, a cause of death has yet to be confirmed, but Barbara's passing comes not long after Diplo's sister, Amy, died in July at the age of 48.
In a lengthier statement to his Instagram page, the producer shared a tribute to his late mother.
Describing her as his 'first love', he wrote: "Even as a grown man it's a cosmic gut punch to lose your mother.
"When your grow up and u leave home . in a way it’s sad to think but u know mother is always there .. even as a man - you would never call on your mom for things but you know somewhere deep inside that she would protect you ..she give you your first feeling of security because she gave u a life.
"She carried you and protected you and gave up so much for you to be something. It’s sad to leave and find your way but my mom really loved my art. she didn’t even understand it all but she loved everything."
He went on: "She gave me all the confidence in the world & she supported me with all her energy. even when i broke and had nothing . she was on my myspace promoting me as Djmom1."
Diplo said she was 'suffering a lot' towards the end and had spent a lot of time with him and his kids following his sister's death.
"Momma knew me and my dad & my sister Kelly are ok. She knows we are good we gave her that peace," he concluded.
"My dad held her hand at the last breath. They been married since high school. We are safe but she needed to be with my sister Amy somewhere better. I miss you Barbara Jean, you were the brightest light in my life, I just had a ten minute cry in the bathroom at CDG airport sorry to the Janitor."