Carol Bongiovi, the mother of rock legend Jon Bon Jovi, passed away on Tuesday, July 9, just three days before her 84th birthday.
PEOPLE reported that Carol died at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, N.J. The cause of her death was not revealed. Bon Jovi himself confirmed the unfortunate news in a statement to the media outlet.
“Our mother was a force to be reckoned with, her spirit and can-do attitude shaped this family. She will be greatly missed,” Jon Bon Jovi shared in a statement on behalf of the Bongiovi family.
Carol was the founder of the fan club for her son’s band. She was also an entrepreneur who had operated several businesses, a former Playboy Bunny, and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
After exchanging vows, Carol and Jon Bon Jovi’s father, John Bongiovi Sr. moved to Sayreville, N.J. where they raised her family.
Bon Jovi recently celebrated Carol on Mother’s Day by paying tribute to her in a heartfelt Instagram post. “To all the moms out there,” he wrote in the post’s caption. “Thank you for always being there!”
Carol is survived by her husband of 63 years, their three sons, Bon Jovi, Matthew, and Anthony as well as daughters-in-law Nina Young Bongiovi, Desiree Bongiovi, and Dorothea Bongiovi.
Jon Bon Jovi Once Recalled His Parents Supporting His Dreams By Allowing Him to Do Gigs When He Was 17
During a 2020 interview with The Big Issue, Jon Bon Jovi reflected on the support his parents gave at the start of his music career. This included them allowing him to do gigs when he was just 17 years old.
“They were always supportive of me,” Bon Jovi explained. “Which in retrospect, was incredible. Because I could get home at one or two in the morning and have to still be in school by eight o’clock. They just said, show up on time for school, you know that is your responsibility, but pursue your dream.”
Jon Bon Jovi then said while his first talent show performance was “terrible,” his parents continued to back him up. “What I got from my parents was the ability to make the dream reality.”
“They always instilled that confidence in their kids, which, in retrospect, I realize was so incredibly valuable. Because even if you truly weren’t any good at your craft, if you believed you were, you could work on it.”
He further pointed out, “As I got older I realized that was a great gift that I got from my folks. They truly believed in the John Kennedy mantra of going to the moon. ‘Yeah, of course, you can go to the moon. Just go, Johnny.’ And there I went.”