Nick Cannon says ex-wife Mariah Carey is leaning on their children following the tragic loss of her mother and sister

Nick, 43, told The New York Post's Page Six column: "She's doing the best that she possibly can, considering the circumstances.

"But as a family, we just got to be there to support one another, show love."

He added: "She's really having a great time with the kids.

"That is, you know, the most important thing in the world to her, so it's outstanding to see them supporting their mom the way they do."

The 'We Belong Together' singer previously said she was "heartbroken" following the death of her 87-year-old mother and admitted 63-year-old Alison's passing had made the situation even more "tragic".

She told People magazine: "My heart is broken that I've lost my mother this past weekend. Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day. I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed.

"I appreciate everyone's love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time."

Patricia - who divorced the late Alfred Roy Carey in 1973 - was an opera singer and vocal coach before giving birth to her first child, whilst Alison endured some personal struggles including homelessness throughout her life and was estranged from her superstar sibling for a number of years.

Alison had been in hospice care prior to her death and had been hoping to reconcile with her sister before the tragic end to her life.

Her friend David Baker told DailyMail.com: "I know it was her dying wish if she could've at least had a conversation with Mariah ... "

Meanwhile, Mariah has previously opened up about the complicated relationship she had with her mother and described it all as a "rainbow of emotions" in her memoir.

Writing in her 2020 tome 'The Meaning of Mariah Carey', she said: "Like many aspects of my life, my journey with my mother has been full of contradictions and competing realities. It's never been only black and white - it's been a whole rainbow of emotions. Our relationship is a prickly rope of pride, pain, shame, gratitude, jealousy, admiration and disappointment.

"A complicated love tethers my heart to my mother's."