Rock Legend Jack White Announces Devastating Family Loss

Beloved rock star Jack White has confirmed that his mother, Teresa Gillis, has passed away.

The award-winning musician took to social media to confirm his mother's death, writing: "They really don’t make them like this anymore." Gillis was 95 years old.

Fans of White's music may recognize Gillis from her introduction during his Little Caesar's Arena performance in 2018, when he brought her on-stage. He also included his mother in his performance at Saint Andrew's Hall in Detroit.

Gillis would also attend White's recording sessions in the '90s and '00s, when he was the frontman of legendary rock group The White Stripes.

On his Instagram post, White called his late mother "a woman who gave so much of her love, and gave so much of herself, to her family and everyone she met."

He added: "She prayed for everyone daily. She loved the song “Don’t fence me in”, and loved jigsaw puzzles and good Polish food. She smiled and laughed so much, especially in these last few days with her family, who will all miss her dearly. She was the youngest of ten just like me, so we had that special bond together on top of everything else she gave me."

Finally, White referenced one of his mother's favorite songs to summarize his feelings: "...as George Jones once sang, that tough question lingers, “Who’s gonna fill their shoes?” She was a Saint."

According to Detroit Free Press, Gillis was also present for her song's most recent performance: the Detroit Lions' Thanksgiving halftime show with local hero Eminem.

"She was all smiles and always very nice," a former archdiocese spokesman expressed. "There’s nothing but great memories of her."

Gillis is survived by nine children, nineteen grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.