Sarah Silverman has been holding onto a shocking family secret, and now she’s shedding light on the tragic death of her 3-month-old brother, Jeffrey, at the hands of their “violent” grandfather.
Speaking to Rolling Stone in an article shared on Sunday, May 18, the 54-year-old comedian explained how she learned the truth about her brother, who sadly died before Silverman was even born, while he was under the care of his paternal grandparents.
For years, the family story suggested Jeffrey’s death was a tragic accident, with the crib being blamed for his suffocation. But as Silverman pointed out, there were never any lawsuits filed against the crib company, raising doubts about the official version of events. “The story was that something happened with the crib, and Jeffrey’s little body slid and he got suffocated,” Silverman stated.
The actress recalls her father, Donald Silverman, watching her 2022 musical Bedwetter, where she made a joke about her brother’s passing. That’s when he confessed the heartbreaking truth. “I always felt that he was crying or something, and my dad shook him,” Silverman quoted him saying. “He shook him in a rage and killed him.”
As soon as her father made the admission, Silverman said it all made sense to her. She described her mother’s silence about the situation, noting that her grandmother always stood by her violent husband, despite witnessing the abuse. “I couldn’t ask my mom, because she was dead,” she said, referring to her mother’s passing in 2015.
Silverman’s father sadly passed away in May 2023, just a few days after his wife, Silverman’s step mother Janice, died. The School of Rock alum posted about his death on Instagram, “My best pal, Schleppy – my dad, died last night,” describing the final week spent with him surrounded by family, love, and dark humor. “All the sisters, and grandkids surrounded him with love and singing and very dark f**ked up jokes this final week. But ultimately, he wanted to be with his love, Janice, who we lost last Monday.”
