Tragic Details About Backstreet Boys' Brian Littrell

The following article contains references to sexual violence.

Some 27% of people would invite the boy band Backstreet Boys to sing at their wedding, according to 2021 survey by The List. It's hardly surprising that '90s heartthrobs Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, AJ McLean, and Kevin Richardson are still so beloved, considering how big they were in their heyday. However, being in one of the most successful boy bands of all time can come at a price.

Brian Littrell (known to fans as B-Rok) knows firsthand just how difficult life in the spotlight can be. He's juggled multiple issues over the years, from a life-threatening heart condition to devastating vocal issues and beyond. This sort of strain would be hard for anyone to deal with, but when you add the burden of fame into the mix, everything becomes more complicated.

Although Littrell has faced family heartache, speculation about the moral (and legal) integrity of his bandmates, and an illness that has threatened his talents for years, he is not done performing or showing up for Backstreet Boys fans. Let's take a look at the tragic details surrounding the blue-eyed heartthrob. 

In 2024, Netflix dropped a revealing documentary, "Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam." The Backstreet Boys' complicated relationship with their former manager, Lou Pearlman, was dissected in the caper. Although the documentary focused on Pearlman's alleged dirty dealings with a variety of bands, Brian Littrell's 1997 lawsuit against Pearlman was notable. At the time, the band was living on a paltry sum of $12,000 a year while Pearlman was taking home the lion's share of the profits. 

Talking to Cosmopolitan about the situation after the documentary aired, Littrell explained, "I personally ... begged Lou Pearlman on two or three different occasions to really make it right. The numbers weren't adding up. My parents had questions." Littrell revealed that it was incredibly difficult for him and his bandmates to take legal action against Pearlman, as they felt indebted to him. In the end, he felt he had no choice but to take things to court, but only after he had asked Pearlman several times to give back the lost funds. Pearlman never did, and the matter was settled before a judge. "When greed comes in, it changes people," he added. Pearlman was later convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison for his involvement in a Ponzi scheme. He died in prison eight years into his sentence.

Being in a relationship as a celebrity can be risky business. Though girls around the world may have convinced themselves Brian Littrell only had eyes for them in the early days of the Backstreet Boys, he was already spoken for. The singer was in a committed relationship with his high school sweetheart, Samantha Stonebreaker. Following their breakup, Littrell may have thought his secrets were safe with his ex; however, she made her intimate knowledge of the band very public when she published a tell-all book, "What You Wanna Know: Backstreet Boys' Secrets Only a Girlfriend Can Tell," in 1999. 

Stonebreaker didn't hold back, revealing some information that didn't necessarily paint Littrell in the best light, particularly when it came to dining out. "When we received our entrees, I was shocked to see Brian pass his plate over to his mother," Stonebreaker wrote (via Entertainment Weekly). "She began cutting up Brian's steak! I almost lost it." Among other things, Stonebreaker told tales of her former flame convincing Nick Carter to defecate into a sock, crying over a hectic work schedule, and being overly preoccupied with the way his cinnamon rolls were prepared. Stonebreaker also revealed that her ex was self-conscious about his five-foot-eight-inch stature, advising Littrell's future loves to "remind him that good things sometimes do come in small packages." 

Believe it or not, some celebs marry regular people. Not every high-flying musician or actor couples up with an equally famous star. While Brian Littrell met his wife on the set of the video for the Backstreet Boys' hit "As Long As You Love Me" in 1997, Leighanne Littrell's career in the entertainment industry never really took off. As of this writing, the couple are still together and happier than ever, but things almost took a devastating turn in 2001. Leighanne had a seat booked on the ill-fated American Airlines flight 11 that was highjacked on September 11, 2001. 

"We were coming up the side of this venue, and my wife turns to me and she says, 'Baby, I don't think I want to go back to California tomorrow,'" Littrell explained during a performance, which was shared on TikTok. When questioning her, Leighanne responded, "I just have this feeling in my gut telling me to stay with you."

If Leighanne had ignored her sixth sense and continued with her journey, she would have been among the 11 crew members and 81 passengers who died when five hijackers seized control of the plane and crashed it into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

While some celebrity health struggles completely flew under the radar, Brian Littrell decided to reveal a major operation he'd had at the peak of the Backstreet Boys' fame in 1998, using the opportunity to raise money for charity.

The singer was born with a congenital heart defect, which required open-heart surgery. A procedure this major would be nerve-wracking for anyone, let alone someone frequently mobbed by screaming fans.  In a 2015 interview with Cosmopolitan, Littrell explained that one situation after his operation made him fearful for his life. He was in Toronto doing press with the band when they got caught in a swarm of fans. "This fan went to grab me and scraped me right across my chest," he said, "It was a very uncomfortable feeling. That was when I was like, 'Wow!' I just had surgery, and she reached for me and kinda clawed my fresh scar that runs down my sternum."

In the documentary "The Heart of the Matter" by The Children's Heart Foundation in 2012, Littrell explained that he had been grappling with his heart issues since birth, and he was even hospitalized for two months when he was just 5 years old. 

Considering just how much his heart defect diagnosis impacted Brian Littrell when he was younger, watching his son become gravely ill in 2008 must have had a profound effect. At the time, Baylee Littrell — who the singer shares with his wife, Leighanne Littrell — was just 6 years old when he was taken to the hospital for a mystery illness. Fans became concerned when a statement appeared on Littrell's website: "Baylee Littrell has been in the hospital for the past few days. He will be starting a treatment this afternoon and the Littrell family asks that all Backstreet Boys fans please remember him in prayer during this trying time" (via People).

A short time after, the family explained that Baylee was diagnosed with atypical Kawasaki disease, a condition that causes inflammation of the arteries. The Backstreet Boys star revealed that his son had been successfully treated and released from hospital and would be under the watchful care of a specialist to ensure a full recovery. A situation like this is terrifying for any parent, but thankfully Baylee Littrell went on to thrive. In March 2025, he had one of the most epic "American Idol" auditions ever in Season 23 of the series — proving that he's strong and talented, just like his famous dad. 

Some stars are just unlucky when it comes to their health. Brian Littrell may have lived with his congenital heart defect and complications, but his issues don't end there. Unfortunately, these issues impacted the schedule of his band.

Back in 2009, Brian Littrell contracted a case of swine flu. At the time, a swine flu pandemic was sweeping across the globe. Though it wasn't as deadly as the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, it's not something anyone would want to deal with. As a result, the band had to cancel a promotional tour that was set to put them back on the map while Littrell recovered and the rest of the band took Tamiflu to prevent contracting the illness. 

To make matters worse, the band was scheduled to take part in PINKtober, a breast cancer awareness event. "We were really looking forward to spending time with our closest fans and friends in NYC and taking part in PINKtober, an unbelievable and important program," Littrell said in a statement provided to People. "I hope we can come back soon and do everything we can to help." It's common knowledge that performers try to go on with the show no matter how awful they feel, but Littrell had no choice but to drop out and rest, no matter how disappointed he, and his bandmates, felt. 

Fans have known Brian Littrell for his perfect pop vocals for years, but in 2015, Littrell revealed that his voice was under threat due to a condition called voice, or muscle, tension dysphonia, which tightens the vocal cords and makes it difficult to sing or even talk at times. While frustrating for Littrell, members of the band also had concerns about their future, including Nick Carter, who expressed his frustration in the 2015 documentary "Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of." 

Carter compared the impact his bandmate's illness was having on the group to the time his struggles with addiction issues were disruptive. "I got confronted by you guys. ... I got docked thousands of dollars for not showing up on time. I had to get better for you. ... I'm passionate about it because I'm still pissed off," he exclaimed. "I genuinely want you to get better," he told his bandmate. 

While muscle tension dysphonia is incurable, it can be treated with physical therapy and sometimes surgery.

Looking at childhood photos, it's hard to believe that Brian Littrell was ever anything but a healthy, thriving youngster. However, in 1980, Littrell was hospitalized due to his congenital heart defect. The singer went on to live a joyous life, but others he knew weren't so lucky. During an appearance on "Crossing Over with John Edwards," Littrell was taken aback when the medium began talking about a little boy with no hair in a wheelchair. "I had a friend when I was a child, I was in the hospital, and he had a brain tumor, and he passed," Littrell explained. "We shared a hospital room together," he added. 

Later on in the episode, Littrell reflected on how difficult the situation was for everyone involved. "[My friend] lost his hair, and chemo, ans it was a bad thing. It was a bad experience because my parents were very close to his parents," he said. "I feel like I was the one blessed with life after that when I really wasn't supposed to have life after that." This heart-wrenching chapter in Littrell's life can't be underestimated. 

It's never easy to say goodbye to a loved one. In 2016, Brian Littrell unfortunately learned that firsthand when he mourned the death of his beloved grandfather. On July 5, Littrell shared a photograph to Facebook showing the graveside of his maternal grandfather, Robert R. Fox, which was decorated with family photographs and vibrant, beautiful flowers. "Today we laid to rest my grandfather, Robert R. Fox," he wrote. "A man that truly loved his family and country ... Army vet, P.O.W. in World War II. See you on the other side ... Tuffy." While the singer hasn't shared much about his grandfather's life or death, he continues to take pride in his family's military roots. 

In another Facebook post for Veteran's Day in 2024, Littrell thanked America's veterans, paying special attention to those in his bloodline. "We have freedom from your sacrifice, and we are thankful," he wrote. "My father, uncle, great uncle, and grandfather all served. Only one still remains. Thank you to the men and women of our armed forces." Considering just how proud Littrell is of his grandfather, his death must have been quite difficult. 

Some celebs left the country after Donald Trump's win in 2024, but others fiercely defend the businessman-turned-politico. Whatever your stance, there's no denying that President Trump is a controversial and polarizing figure. Oftentimes, it doesn't go down well when celebrities openly back him. After Trump's first election win in 2017, Littrell didn't hold back on what he thought.

"In my opinion, he's going to do so many great things for this nation," he gushed to TMZ. "I have faith in the system," he continued. "I have faith in his character, in his beliefs, and his balls, let's just put it that way." Although Littrell didn't get too much heat for his support of Trump then, more eyebrows were raised when the singer sent out a tweet asking followers to join him on Parler – a now defunct conservative social media platform that was popular with QAnon supporters — shortly after the Capitol Hill riots. 

Needless to say, many fans were saddened at this twist of events, with some of Littrell's followers criticizing him for the move. Rumors also swirled that Littrell's political affiliations may have caused tension between the singer and some of his bandmates, as a couple of days later, Kevin Richardson tweeted a link to an article titled "I Lost a Best Friend to QAnon." AJ McLean also supported Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. Despite the upset, Littrell continued to show his support for Trump, taking to Instagram after the assassination attempt. "I want to thank our secret service agents and law enforcement for their constant duty to uphold the respect of our nation. ... God bless you President Trump and your family!" he wrote.

Being in a band comes with its advantages. Unlike solo pop stars, bandmates are often able to lean on one another for support. No matter how wild or scary it gets, they know they have people right next to them going through the same thing. While that's a bonus, being so closely associated with other people can come at a cost, too. If one bandmate is accused of something, then the future can look bleak for the band as a whole.

Brian Littrell found this out the hard way when fellow Backstreet Boy Nick Carter was accused of rape. Former pop star Melissa Schuman, who was once part of the girl group Dream, penned a blog, alleging that Carter sexually assaulted her at a party. "He was stronger and much bigger than me," she wrote on her website, Melissa Explains it All. 

The accusation, which was followed by a lawsuit, was highly publicized. It wasn't long before Brian Littrell spoke out in support of Carter, brushing off Schuman's claims as false. "He has our full support ... this has been going on for a long time and unfortunately there are fame seekers that are out there," he told TMZ. "It is what it is — it's the time and world we live in," he added. "Everybody wants to know something or get something on somebody." Though Littrell may have felt he was standing by his bandmate, he was heavily criticized by many for his comments. In August 2024, Carter countersued Schuman for defamation.