Tragic Details About Ariana Grande's Brother Frankie

The following has mentions of addiction.

Fans all over the world know just how talented Ariana Grande is, but many may not know that her older brother Frankie Grande’s career is just as impressive. Just like the “7 Rings” singer, Frankie has an amazing voice and is a Broadway star with “Mama Mia!” and “Titanique” under his belt. He rose to fame with his social media presence and became even more well-known after appearing in “Big Brother” during its 16th season, but being in the spotlight wasn’t always easy for him. “I think that fame has the power to completely destroy you mentally [and] is powerful enough to ruin someone’s life forever,” he shared on “E! True Hollywood Story” (via E! News). Regarding his reality television stint, Frankie added, “I was so recognized. I honestly thought I was handling it great. I thought I had it all under control.”

Unfortunately, the fame added to Frankie’s anxiety, and he coped by misusing alcohol and drugs. His road to sobriety wasn’t easy, but with the help of his family, including Ariana, he was able to lead a healthy life. Sadly, the “Celebrity Big Brother UK” star had to hit rock bottom before doing so, and that was just one of the many tragic circumstances Frankie had to endure over the years.

In 2017, Ariana Grande and her fans faced a horrific tragedy when there was a terrorist attack at her concert at the Manchester Arena, leading to 22 deaths. During this time, Frankie Grande was deeply addicted to drugs and alcohol following “Big Brother,” and he revealed to Yahoo! Entertainment that he wasn’t present enough to be there for his sister. “That was a time when my family needed me most, and it was the time when I was the most checked-out,” he admitted. Frankie came to the realization that no one was coming to him for help, and that’s when he knew he had to get clean. “I turned right to my sister in that moment and I said, ‘I need help.’ And she said, ‘OK, cool,’ and she helped me get into the detox facility that I went to. And I’ve been sober ever since,” he shared.

Since facing his addiction, Frankie’s relationship with his family has improved vastly. “I’m the first phone call again when my sister wants to ask a question or when my mother needs help for something. I’m the first phone call, which I wasn’t for years,” he stated to Today. The “Rock of Ages” star has remained steadfast with his sobriety and encouraged others in an Instagram post that read, “Hard is an understatement. Remember, help is always available, you just have to find the strength to ask.”

Frankie Grande was just going about his day walking the streets of Manhattan in November 2022 when a pair of underage teens hit him on the back of his head and stole his belongings, the New York Post reported. The muggers then proceeded to use Grande’s credit card at a nearby store, where they were subsequently apprehended. According to the cops, they had a fake gun and a razor blade on them. The minors were charged with robbery and criminal possession of stolen property, among several other infractions.

Despite getting assaulted and robbed, Grande has no hard feelings toward the two boys. “All I can hope and pray is that the people who attacked me get the love and care that they need in order [to] know that’s not the way they need to live the rest of their lives. I hope they get that,” he told Page Six a year later. The Broadway actor added, “Listen, it took me a minute, but this is what I do. I’m an alcoholic, I’m sober and it’s always about projecting love and trying to give to other people so you receive in the end.”

One of the rules of “Big Brother” is that the contestants are not allowed to have contact with the outside world, but the producers made an exception for Frankie Grande when his grandfather died while they were filming Season 16. In a clip shared by ET, he’s seen reading a letter sent by the family that stated, “We love you and miss you so much. I’m sitting here with Nonna, Ari, and your cousin and are so sad to tell you that Grandpa lost his battle with cancer.” The cameras showed Frankie breaking down in tears as he finished the letter and promised to stay on the show to honor his grandfather.

After receiving the devastating news, Frankie gave a eulogy to his grandfather while in the “Big Brother” house (via Bustle). “My grandfather spent every day of his life fighting for his family … He had dreams, he had ambitions, he had goals, and he worked his butt off every single day to get to that place so that we were provided for … And now this letter tells me, that he wants me to stay here and he wants me to fight, he’s proud of me, he’s proud of what I am doing in this house,” he shared. Grande described how his grandfather had cancer three times before finally succumbing to the disease, and the entertainer said his new goal was to open a school in Africa and name it after the man who meant so much to him. “I have something else to fight for now, I am fighting for my grandfather’s legacy,” he vowed.

In September 2018, Variety reported the shocking news that rapper Mac Miller had died from what appeared to be an accidental overdose. His family issued the statement, “Malcolm McCormick, known and adored by fans as Mac Miller, has tragically passed away at the age of 26. He was a bright light in this world for his family, friends, and fans.”

A few days later, Frankie Grande wrote a lengthy tribute to his friend on Instagram. “I am beyond heartbroken over Malcolm’s death. He was a good friend and was wonderful to my sister. He was the reason I went to the rehabilitation center where I was detoxed safely from all of the drugs alcohol and medications I was taking, when I couldn’t imagine living without them,” he stated. Grande recounted how the “Self Care” singer encouraged him to stay sober and encouraged fans to get help if they needed it.

Being internet famous comes with its perks, but Frankie Grande opened up about how it led to him being bullied for the first time. In an interview with “Pretty Unfiltered,” he revealed that he never experienced bullying growing up, even when he came out to his fraternity during college. It was only after he became well-known on Instagram that he got hate for being gay. “In the beginning, it was horrible. It made me feel like I had to change,” he admitted. Grande began to rethink posting pictures of himself wearing makeup and glitter, or even hugging a male for fear that he would get tormented even more. “As an adult, I had to come to terms with the fact that I’m being hated on for my sexuality,” he stated.

During a sit-down with actor Christy Carlson Romano that was shared on Facebook, Grande revealed that he got a lot of flack online after his reality television fame and shared, “‘Big Brother’ has an extremely, very violent fan base. Like, they are crazy.” The bullying led to him using drugs and alcohol to deal with the pain, but with therapy, he eventually learned to overcome the negativity. “I basically had to, in my sobriety, understand, identify those triggers, and learn tools on how to combat those triggers. And now I’m capable of having a healthy relationship with social media so I can enjoy it because I always loved it,” he told Modern Wellness Guide.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).