American Idol star Nikki McKibbin dead at 42

Nikki McKibbin, who placed top three behind Kelly Clarkson in the first smash season of American Idol, has died aged 42.

Nikki McKibbin, who rose to fame alongside Kelly Clarkson on the first season of American Idol, has died at age 42.

McKibbin suffered a brain aneurysm on Wednesday, according to her husband, Craig Sadler. He took to Facebook to share that she was being kept on life support so that her organs could be donated to those in need.

McKibbin performing during the American Idol season 1 tour. Picture: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage

“Many of you already know something is wrong. The love of my life Nikki Sadler suffered an aneurysm on Wednesday. She would already be gone, but she’s an organ donor and has been kept on life support to make that possible,” he wrote Saturday. “That shouldn’t be a surprise to us. Even at the end she is still giving.”

McKibbin placed third on American Idol in 2002. Her most memorable performance on the show was a cover of Alannah Myles’ Black Velvet. She also covered songs by Alanis Morissette, Melissa Etheridge, Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks.

McKibbin (centre) with Justin Guarini, who came second, and Kelly Clarkson, who won the first Idol season. Picture: Kevin Winter/ImageDirect/FOX.

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In fact, she loved Nicks so much that Sadler asked her fans to pay tribute to her at 3am. Central Time when she would be in the operating room by listening to the song Landslide, which he said doctors would play for her “one last time” before they began.

“She loved so many of you and I know you loved her too,” he concluded.

“Nikki McKibbin was an incredible talent and we are deeply saddened by the news of her passing. She was part of our American Idol family and will be truly missed. Our hearts and prayers go out to her family and friends during this difficult time,” the show tweeted Sunday.

Nikki McKibbin was an incredible talent and we are deeply saddened by the news of her passing. She was part of our American Idol family and will be truly missed. Our hearts and prayers go out to her family and friends during this difficult time.

— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) November 1, 2020

After winning over the judges on American Idol, McKibbin cut her first studio album Unleashed in 2007 followed by the EP Psychotrip in 2012 as part of the group Love Stricken Demise, according to Entertainment Weekly.

She also returned to reality TV in 2005 with a stint on Fear Factor, Battle of the Network Reality Stars and Kill Reality.

McKibbin went public with substance abuse issues later on in her career. Picture: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage

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Years later, she publicly admitted to having substance abuse issues on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew during the show’s second season. She went on to appear in the spin-off series “Sober House.” EW reports that she returned to Celebrity Rehab in Season 5 to celebrate three years of sobriety.

Finally, she returned to where it all started, the American Idol stage, in 2014 to support her son, Tristen Cole Lanley, who auditioned and made it through to the Hollywood round on his own.

This story originally appeared on Fox News and is republished here with permission.