The Tragic Death Of Giada De Laurentiis' Brother, Dino
Over the years, celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis has been transparent with her fans about some of the most life-changing experiences that have shaped her as an individual. For example, the chef has spoken about how much food has impacted her relationships (via Health). "Everything that I remember being big and powerful and the wow in my life happened around food," De Laurentiis said. "It brought our family so much joy."
Additionally, De Laurentiis has lived through an immense amount of heartbreak and spoken about the pain that she had to endure in her thirties. She tragically lost her brother Dino, and his death left behind a huge void in the chef's life. According to Delish, the pain of losing Dino was so impactful that it changed her approach towards life. She now aims to take advantage of every living moment, and told Delish, "Taking a break is not the easiest thing for me because I feel like if I'm not doing something then I'm wasting my time. I like to make the most of every second I have."
She added that Dino's passing left her feeling like everything is temporary and "life is fleeting," making her appreciate the importance of utilizing opportunities.
Dino's death changed Giada De Laurentiis in many ways
For Giada De Laurentiis, her younger brother Dino was a huge part of her life and the two had an unbreakable bond. According to People, the chef shared everything with her brother. She said, "He was the person I turned to for everything. When something great happened in my life, when something bad happened — I would talk to him two to three times per day."
As per Delish, Dino passed away after being diagnosed with melanoma. His death was extremely difficult for De Laurentiis, who was scared to get close to anyone after she lost Dino. She later reflected on her state of mind after Dino's death and admitted that relationships and even having a child was too frightening of an idea in the event that she lost them, too (via CheatSheet). Over time though, she slowly warmed up to the idea of getting close with people again. She explained, "I stopped thinking of just my own mortality; I started thinking about the life we're leaving for someone else."
Giada De Laurentiis spends more time with her family
Giada De Laurentiis remains attached to her brother and often goes to a special place in Los Angeles with her boyfriend Shane Farley and daughter Jade to remember him. Farley told People, "She had a bench put there as a memorial to him because it was a place that he used to go and spend time ... It's a real connection to her brother and it's been nice to share that with her." Additionally, De Laurentiis said that after losing Dino, she has started spending more time with her family.
She also spoke about her daughter, Jade and how she consciously stopped taking on as much work as she used to. She wanted to ensure that she was around to watch Jade grow and evolve. "I started to make decisions about my schedule — what I can bring Jade to and what I just had to say no to," De Laurentiis told The Cut. She added that her divorce further took a toll on things and she started prioritizing Jade's needs even more.
De Laurentiis has become an outspoken advocate for skin cancer prevention
Giada De Laurentiis also helped memorialize her brother in a PSA that she worked on with the Melanoma Research Alliance in 2014 (via ET). She spoke fondly about Dino stating, "Really, we felt like he was my older brother." She went on to discuss the relationship that they shared and how losing him made her feel extremely lonely. The chef also emphasized the importance of taking care of your health, especially when it comes to your skin.
De Laurentiis said that she personally takes preventative measures against melanoma, such as religiously lathering on sunscreen and checking herself for any warning signs."My brother was in his twenties," De Laurentiis reflected (via ET). "The mole was in the center of his back, and it's not like he's going to turn around and look at his back in the mirror. And he didn't really see it for a long time. And I think that was one of the problems. Otherwise, we would have caught it and he would still be alive today." She told people to be proactive about visiting dermatologists and taking their health seriously.