The Heartbreaking Death Of Bling Empire's Anna Shay

Anna Shay, millionaire mainstay of the Netflix reality show "Bling Empire," has died at the age of 62. Her family released a statement with the unexpected news of her death: "It saddens our hearts to announce that Anna Shay, a loving mother, grandmother, charismatic star, and our brightest ray of sunshine, has passed away at the early age of 62 from a stroke. Anna taught us many life lessons on how not to take life too seriously and to enjoy the finer things. Her impact on our lives will be forever missed but never forgotten," as reported by People. She is survived by her son Kenny Kemp.

The world learned about Shay as one of the stars of "Bling Empire" when it debuted in 2021. Before the show, Shay had worked to keep her life private and was even somewhat reclusive, though she was well known in the Los Angeles social scene, per Town & Country.

Anna Shay was born in Japan. Her mother, Ai Oizumi Shay, was part-Russian and part-Japanese, and her father Edward Shay was an American engineer who founded Pacific Architects and Engineers in 1955. It was through her father's business, which did government defense contract work, that Anna Shay came into her massive fortune. Her father died in 1995, and her mother died in 2015. She loved them and continued to honor them, telling Tatler, "My parents are my heroes and I think to continue their legacy is to give back." Anna was known for her generosity, and she worked for the family foundation that her parents created.

Shay certainly had a unique life. Before her time on "Bling Empire," Anna married (and divorced) four times, though she kept her ex-spouses' names private. When she was seven, her family moved to Los Angeles. During the journey, Shay brought her pet monkey onboard to sit next to her, according to Oprah Daily. She learned to pilot a helicopter and went to state dinners thanks to her father's job, as reported by Town & Country. Shay recognized her privileged upbringing, telling Oprah Daily that her mother would say to her, "You were born in a crystal ball with a silver spoon."

One of her "Bling Empire" co-stars Kelly Mi Li posted a tribute to Anna on Instagram: "you are truly one of a kind and we will miss you forever," a sentiment surely shared by many.