Country music legend Alan Jackson, known for his heartfelt lyrics and deep-rooted family values, recently opened up in a rare and emotional interview about one of the most painful chapters of his life: the tragic loss of his son-in-law, Ben Selecman — a moment that forever changed his family.
Ben, who was married to Alan’s daughter Mattie Jackson Selecman, passed away in September 2018 at just 28 years old after suffering a traumatic brain injury caused by a fall while helping a friend onto a boat in Florida. The accident shocked not only the Jackson family but the entire country music community.
Alan, a man of few words when it comes to personal grief, spoke with quiet reverence about Ben — not just as his daughter’s husband, but as a son, a brother, and a man of faith and integrity.
“He was like one of our own,” Alan shared. “He loved Mattie with his whole heart. He was kind, strong, and full of promise. We were all so proud of him.”
Alan admitted that the months following Ben’s passing were among the most difficult his family has ever faced. He watched his daughter Mattie walk through unimaginable sorrow, and as a father, he felt helpless — the kind of pain no song could ever fully capture.
“There’s no handbook for watching your child grieve that kind of loss,” he said. “You just sit with them, cry with them, and hold them through the silence.”
Mattie, in her own healing journey, later wrote a memoir titled “Lemons on Friday,” sharing her experience of grief, faith, and rediscovering purpose after losing the man she thought she’d spend forever with. Alan supported her every step of the way, calling her “the strongest woman he knows.”
In honor of Ben’s legacy, the family helped establish a fund supporting survivors of traumatic brain injuries, turning grief into a mission of healing for others.
“We miss him every day,” Alan said, his voice cracking. “But we believe we’ll see him again. Until then, we carry him with us.”
Fans across the world continue to express love and prayers for the Jackson family, especially Mattie, whose strength has inspired many.
“Alan Jackson sings about life’s real moments — and now we know he’s lived some of the hardest,” one fan wrote.
“Ben’s memory lives on through love, faith, and music.”