Kim Kardashian’s heartbreaking tribute to late grandmother leaves fans confused

Kim Kardashian shared a touching tribute to her late grandmother, Mary Jo “MJ” Shannon, after the matriarch passed away aged 91 on July 16. The social media star took to Instagram just hours after she had shared a post about her family vacation, which left many fans confused about the timing. 

Kim’s tribute included a carousel of photos of her and her grandmother together over the years, as well as pictures of MJ doting on her great-grandchildren. 

“My sweet Grandma MJ, my best friend, my gossip buddy, my forever twin…You taught all of us the importance of family, and those values are something we’ll carry with us forever!!!!!” Kim began in the caption. 

“You were the woman who showed me what it meant to be a hardworking businesswoman. You gave me my very first job at your store in San Diego and taught me lessons about work ethic, strength, and confidence that I’ve carried with me ever since.”

The 45-year-old added: “You always believed in me, championed me, and were my safe place. You truly were the matriarch of our family, and your love is woven into all of us. I know you’re at peace now. Give Papa Harry, Aunt Karen, and my dad a hug for me.”

“You will always be a part of me, I love you soooooo much, and I will miss you forever and ever. YOU ARE THE BEST OF US!!!” she added, before quipping: “I know you are up in heaven, looking at all of our Instagram posts of you from your sneaky finsta account you would always use lol.” 

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Kim’s sister, Khloé Kardashian, shared a series of heart emojis in the comment section, while actress Sarah Paulson simply wrote: “Love you”. 

The billionaire had previously left fans confused after she posted photos from her recent lakeside vacation after news of MJ’s death had reached the public. The post included pictures of her and her sister Khloé in bikinis, causing commenters to wonder at the timing. 

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“Didn’t your grandmama just pass?” wrote one, while another added: “Your grandmother died Kimberly.” Other fans of the All’s Fair actress came to her defense, declaring: “Pretty sure it’s a scheduled post…calm down people,” as another chimed in: “A lot of public figures queue content days ahead of time. Let’s give her a little grace.”

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Kim then clarified the context of the carousel in the comment section. “This post was scheduled a few days ago before we lost MJ, so its timing came right alongside her passing,” she said. 

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“I’ve been by my mom and grandma’s side this past week, and my heart is completely with my family right now. We love and miss her so deeply, and in the days ahead, we’ll be focusing on celebrating her beautiful life.”

MJ was Kris Jenner’s mother and a star in her own right, having frequently appeared on Keeping Up with the Kardashians and later on The Kardashians. Kris’ mother divorced her father, Robert Houghton, when she was seven, and MJ raised Kris and her sister Karen alone until she met and married Harry Shannon.