Tragic Details About Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres is arguably one of the most popular and influential celebrities around. But the path to success for this media mogul and LGBTQ trailblazer hasn't been an easy one. From experiencing heartbreak to being shrouded in scandal, these are some of the tragic details about DeGeneres. When DeGeneres was just 16, her mom, Betty, received a devastating diagnosis from her doctor - she had breast cancer. Betty underwent treatment while living in a small Texas town, and as DeGeneres recalled in an interview with USA Today, her mom insisted that the family keep the whole thing under wraps. DeGeneres explained, “Everything was a dirty little secret back then.“ Ultimately, a mastectomy was required, and the teenager became her mother's de facto caregiver during a very tentative time. DeGeneres added, “The fact that she had a mastectomy was not spoken of. She tried to shield me from it a little bit, but she needed my help with recovery and physical rehabilita