The Kardashian-Jenner family says goodbye to their most beloved pillar. Mary Jo Shannon, affectionately known as “MJ,” died at age 91, as confirmed by her daughter, Kris Jenner, through an emotional message on Instagram.

“Today we say goodbye to my beautiful mom MJ,” Jenner wrote this Thursday. “There are no words that can capture what you mean to me or the pain of having to say goodbye.”

Shannon became a recurring and endearing presence in the family's reality television universe. Followers remember her in episodes of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” and in the most recent show, “The Kardashians,” where she showed her closeness with her children and grandchildren.

In one of her last television appearances, Jenner shared intimate moments with her mother, such as when she helped her move into a new apartment.

In a 2025 episode of “The Kardashians,” cameras captured Jenner breaking down in tears after a disturbing phone call with Shannon. “There just comes a point in life where you can't be alone anymore,” Jenner reflected of her then-90-year-old mother. "It makes me sad. I just hate when he's suffering so much."

Shannon's legacy

As matriarch of one of the most famous dynasties in the world, Shannon leaves behind an immense family legacy. Her six grandchildren — Kourtney, Kim, Khloé and Rob Kardashian, as well as Kendall and Kylie Jenner — and her 13 great-grandchildren grew up under her influence and affection.

In her tribute, Jenner described her mother as the heart of the family. "He taught me everything that really matters... To love your family intensely, to be kind, to be there for the people you love, and to never take a single moment together for granted. He taught us that family is everything."

Jenner's message appreciates every sacrifice and every lesson shared. “I will miss our daily talks, your smile, your laughter… Our hearts are broken, but we find comfort knowing that a love like yours never completely abandons us,” he wrote. “Your love will live on in our family, in our traditions, in every moment we are together and in every life you touched.”

Jenner closed her tribute with a promise: "When I look at my children and grandchildren, I will always see pieces of you in all of us. There is no part of me that is not shaped by you. And if I have done anything right in this world, it is because I have spent my life trying to live in a way that makes you proud. Every memory, every moment, every blessing, it was all because of you, and I will always thank God every day for making you my mom."