Tragic Details About Khloe Kardashian
On the surface, Khloé Kardashian may seem like she has it all. The star is a member of one of the most famous sibling groups in history (seriously, who wouldn't love to be a Kardashian/Jenner?), a happy mommy to her daughter True, and an inspiring businesswoman who is raking in millions from her Good American line.
All that adds up to one very rich lady. Khloé has an eye-watering net worth of $50 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, but that doesn't mean everything in the life of the former "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star is perfect — in fact, it's far from it.
Khloé has opened up on multiple occasions about some of the traumatic things she's endured — from the body image issues she's faced as the younger sister of Kim Kardashian, to her fertility issues, and all those relationship dramas — which have made her one of the most honest and relatable members of the world-famous clan.
So buckle up as we take a look back at some of the most tragic moments in Khloé Kardashian's life and gain an insight into what's made her one of the strongest stars out there.
Tristan Thompson's constant cheating
Where do we even start with this one? Sadly for Khloé Kardashian, Tristan Thompson's cheating isn't exactly a secret, as the basketball star has repeatedly faced rumors of infidelity throughout their romance.
The first round of cheating allegations happened in April 2018, while Khloé was pregnant with their daughter. The Daily Mail released video that appeared to show him locking lips with a mystery woman, and The Shade Room came in with a double whammy when they published footage of someone who looked a lot like Thompson entering a hotel with someone who looked a lot like that mystery woman.
If that wasn't bad enough (all this happened mere days before Khloé gave birth), that same month, TMZ dropped a clip allegedly taken in October 2017 that showed Thompson kissing a woman in a club while also getting cozy with two others. Understandably, a source told Entertainment Tonight that Khloé was "completely devastated."
But that wasn't the end of Thompson's cheating ways. Though the two reconciled, in February 2019 he was accused of being unfaithful yet again when Hollywood Unlocked reported he got "cozy" with Kardashian family friend Jordyn Woods. And well, you know how that went down.
We're (sadly) still not done, though. The pair reconciled again, but in April 2021, he was accused of hooking up with model Sydney Chase (something he denied), and December 2021 brought the bombshell allegation that he had cheated with a personal trainer who allegedly welcomed his baby.
Khloé Kardashian's fertility journey
Khloé Kardashian is a proud mom to True, but she had a long road to motherhood and has struggled with providing True a sibling. In a March 2021 episode of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," Khloé could be seen talking to her sister, Kim Kardashian, about surrogacy, as Kim has also shared her own fertility issues.
Khloé explained that her doctor told her she "would be a high-risk carrier for a pregnancy" and had around an 80% chance of miscarrying her second child. She heartbreakingly shared how she almost experienced a miscarriage early in her pregnancy with True, but didn't realize that could affect any future pregnancies.
Khloé also got candid about becoming a mom again on "Lady Parts" that same month, sharing that she had undergone IVF "around three times," had frozen her eggs, and made embryos with her then boyfriend, Tristan Thompson. She added she was "grateful" to have made the embryos to prevent her from having to undergo IVF again as she'd "realized [her] eggs aren't strong enough to be frozen."
Season 20 of "KUWTK" delved deeper into the star's fertility journey and saw Khloé and Thompson go the surrogacy route while also going inside their appointments with doctors. But, during the second part of the big reunion — which was filmed in April 2021 but aired in June 2021 — Khloé shared that their plans for a surrogate "fell through" (via Hollywood Life).
Khloé Kardashian's body image issues
Khloé Kardashian's eternal struggle with self-acceptance and body image has been well-documented, and Khloé has opened up about trying to accept her looks after fighting for a leaked bikini photo to be deleted.
The reality star got candid about her years of insecurities in a poignant April 2021 Instagram post while showing off her body, describing herself as "someone who has struggled with body image her whole life." She added that "the pressure, constant ridicule and judgment ... has been too much to bear" and claimed "every single flaw and imperfection has been micro-analyzed and made fun of to the smallest detail and I am reminded of them everyday by the world."
Khloé further touched on her self-esteem issues during the "KUWTK" reunion, sharing she believed being on the show affected her perception of herself. "Interestingly enough, I was so confident and secure before the show. That's when I became hard on myself ... I became insecure because of everyone else telling me," she said (via E! News).
Khloé's struggle with her body has also been captured by the cameras, including during a 2011 episode of "Khloé & Lamar" where Khloé had an emotional breakdown in front of her then-husband, Lamar Odom. "I'm so f***ing fat," she said while crying on the floor (via the Daily Mail). "I'm so tired of pretending that I'm happy with my weight, just to be a good role model, when I'm so f***ing disgusting."
Khloé Kardashian's paternity drama
In one of the longest-running conspiracies surrounding the Kardashian clan, Khloé Kardashian has repeatedly been accused of not being Robert Kardashian's daughter. In many rumors, it's been speculated that Khloé's biological father could be O.J. Simpson, a longtime family friend of the Kardashians. For those who don't know, prior to his infamous murder trial (where Robert was on his defense team), Kris Jenner and Robert were good friends with the ex-football player and his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson.
Simpson denied the rumors when speaking to TMZ in 2018 after he was asked if he needed to be congratulated after Khloé announced her pregnancy. "Well, for Bob, God bless his soul, yeah. I don't know for me. I don't think for me. I have nothing to do with it. I would be proud. But trust me, I had nothing to do with it."
Khloé has also slammed this speculation, including putting Robert's former wife, Ellen Pierson, on blast for once claiming Robert had admitted to not being Khloé's dad. Khloé described the situation as "overwhelming" on "Kocktails with Khloé" in 2016, noting, "She wanted to come out, like, 10 years later after my dad passed away and said that I'm not his daughter and that he confided in her and blah-say-blah. I was like, 'Listen, you can talk about me and my sisters all you f***ing want. Do not talk about my dad ... He's not here!'" (via Us Weekly).
Robert Kardashian's death
The death of a parent is sure to have a profound impact on pretty much anyone, and Khloé Kardashian is no exception. The star was just 19 years old when her dad, Robert Kardashian, died of cancer, and has revealed that his death took such a toll on her that she almost ended up in rehab.
"When I saw my father in his casket, I completely fell apart ... I was an emotional wreck, and I'm told that I was so distraught I actually passed out," she wrote in her 2015 book, "Strong Looks Better Naked." "At one point I fell to the floor kicking and screaming, and I had to be sedated. It was really intense. I refused to believe my father was gone. I just wanted to believe it was all just a bad dream. That's when the partying started," she continued, noting it got "out of control."
Khloé credited her sister, Kourtney Kardashian, for helping to bring her out of that downward spiral, explaining she "put her foot down and forced [her] to take control of [her] life."
Robert's death has continued to affect Khloé, as she opened up about her regrets during an episode of "Kocktails with Khloé, via the Mirror." "I was 19. I didn't realize. I knew he was dying but I didn't take advantage of that time. I think now just seizing the day and every minute you have with someone ... that's a blessing."
Khloé Kardashian's ups and downs with Lamar Odom
A long source of drama in Khloé Kardashian's life was her marriage to Lamar Odom, which, let's just say, had many ups and many, many downs. The two enjoyed a whirlwind romance when they got together in 2009, marrying mere weeks after meeting. But the fairy tale didn't last long.
In 2014, Khloé admitted she'd lied to protect Lamar, claiming he'd been unfaithful. "Let me tell you something — last year on my birthday, I lied to everyone, because I had to lie and say I was with my husband, when in fact my husband was missing with another girl ... I was alone, and lied to everyone," she said during a July 2014 episode of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" (via Los Angeles Times).
But the cheating rumors were far from the only difficulty she faced with Odom. The basketballer had brushes with the law during their relationship, including being arrested for a DUI in 2013.
He also had traumatic health issues, including being hospitalized for a drug overdose in 2015. Despite Khloé having filed for divorce, she put that on hold and stood by Odom's side for months after initially being told he'd died. During the "Keeping Up With the Kardashians"' 10th anniversary special in 2017, Khloé recalled "screaming" and called the misinformation "the most traumatic thing" (via People).
Despite having his back through the many downs though, Odom confirmed in May 2021 he and Khloé were no longer speaking.
The sad death of Gabbana
Another sad death Khloé Kardashian has had to deal with came after her beloved 14-year-old pooch Gabbana passed away. The star confirmed the tragic news in an Instagram post back in January 2018 when she shared several photos of herself and Gabbana over the years, including a black and white shot of herself giving the adorable Labrador a hug.
She confirmed in the caption that "sweet Gabbana" had died the night before and explained to her millions of followers how her four-legged best friend "was more than a pet" to her. Khloé explained that she thought of Gabbana as her "first child, [her] companion and [her] friend," who would always ensure she had company in her loneliest moments. "I never thought I would be this devastated over loosing [sic] a dog but 14 years, is a long time together. She filled a significant role in my life and I'm forever grateful," she added.
Making things even more emotional for the reality star, Khloé was actually pregnant at the time. The star was expecting her first child, who we now know to be little True, with Tristan Thompson and had only announced her pregnancy via Instagram the month prior.
The Kardashians got Gabbana alongside another dog (you guessed it, named Dolce!) though Dolce was sadly killed by a coyote, per People.
Khloé Kardashian and Caitlyn Jenner's feud
Khloé Kardashian was very close with Caitlyn Jenner prior to her transition, as Caitlyn was married to Khloé's mom, Kris Jenner, for 24 years before their 2015 divorce. But the reality star infamously fell out with the ex-athlete, explaining on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in November 2015 she didn't feel Caitlyn was honest with her when rumors about her transition started hitting the headlines. "We felt like the last to know, so that was hard for us, especially me," she explained.
She shared a similar sentiment while speaking about their feud to Howard Stern on SiriusXM the following year, explaining she told Caitlyn, "We're a family. We've never turned our backs on each other yet with all the clusterf**** of s*** that's happened in our lives, why would we now?" urging her to "just stop lying."
The two had a heart-to-heart on "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" in 2017, when Caitlyn wondered what she "did wrong" and Khloé explained she felt she "wasn't in the right place in her life to invest in new relationships" and that losing a second father was a real "blow."
Things stayed strained though, as Caitlyn revealed on "I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!" in 2019 she felt Khloé was "p***ed off" with her. "I don't know what it is ... We were really close, I raised her since she was five years old. I really don't know what her issues are" (via Metro).
Khloé Kardashian's bullying trauma
Khloé Kardashian has been pretty vocal about being the victim of bullying throughout her life, including sharing the harrowing story of how she was targeted at school. Khloé explained to Life & Style (via the Daily Mail) back in October 2010 that she was called "fat" and "ugly" by her classmates so much that she started to believe it about herself. "Those words are played on repeat inside your head," she said.
But Khloé's not out for revenge. "When people are bullies it's because of a deeper-rooted issue — either their family life is tough or they're being bullied by someone bigger than they are," she explained. "Revenge is not what I ever wanted."
Khloé explained on "Role Model with Leomie Anderson" in July 2021 that she actually forged her parents' names on documents so she could move schools. "It wasn't my thing ... I kept getting questioned if I was really related to my sisters, because I look so differently. I didn't feel comfortable. I didn't feel safe there. I didn't connect."
Khloé has since used her experiences to try and teach people that their words have power. In March 2021, she asked on Instagram for "people to realize just what articles like this does [sic] to someone's soul and confidence" after seeing a story about her changing looks (via E! News).
Khloé Kardashian's double COVID diagnosis
Khloé Kardashian has had some health issues over the years, including a double brush with COVID-19. Khloé's initial COVID diagnosis was filmed herself for "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" after the show went down to skeleton crew for safety reasons, and Khloé was very vocal about how hard the virus affected her and how tough it was to have to stay away from her family, including her daughter True. Khloé explained that she experienced vomiting, coughing, shaking, and drastic changes in temperature, as well as bad headaches, while Kim Kardashian confirmed her sister had been "so sick" with the virus.
Speaking about the incident on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in October 2020, Khloé said she found the whole thing "super scary" and the "hardest part" was not being able to see True while quarantining. "Being taken away from your child for that long, because I couldn't be around my daughter, that was the most, like, heart-wrenching thing," she said.
Adding to that heartbreak, Khloé was diagnosed with the COVID again a year later — and so was True. As Khloé was vaccinated, she explained in a tweet she wasn't expecting her second bout to be as bad but announced she was canceling a slew of work commitments. She later followed up on Instagram, writing she was "so over this!!"
Khloé Kardashian was in a serious car accident
In a little-known fact about the Kardashian clan, Khloé Kardashian experienced a traumatic car accident in 2001 that has affected her long-term. Khloé opened up about the accident in a post on her now-defunct website (via People). She stated the crash left her with "f***ed up" knees, since she had to have reconstructive surgery, which caused her right leg to be "an inch and a half thinner than [her] left because [her] muscles deteriorated and never recovered."
Khloé said she was speeding and another car ran the stop sign, crashing into her and crushing her "small Mercedes" upon impact. "I was wearing my seatbelt but the strap was under my armpit ... my head and upper body went through the windshield and my legs were stuck under the steering wheel."
She mentioned she also had to wear a neck brace and had "burns all over my body." She had to shower while sitting down and had to have her friends help her wash her hair.
Khloé has also battled migraines throughout her life and explained she thought they were "escalated" by the accident, as she's revealed she'll sometimes have bad headaches for days at a time. Her migraines started around the time she was in middle school, with the star recalling to Prevention in July 2020, "I would not be able to lift my head up, and being that young, it was scary."