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Selena Gomez's Grandparents Share Her Intimate Childhood Photo Album

May 28 2014, Published 6:36 a.m. ET

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For the first time, Selena Gomez’s grandparents are speaking out to RadarOnline.com to reveal the truth about Selena’s drug use, secret rehab stay and life-threatening illness -- and why they say they’re worried their little girl could become another victim of fame.

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Selena Gomez and Family

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Despite Selena’s early success at child modelling pageants, her grandfather Ricardo Gomez tells Radar, “it never crossed our mind that her getting famous could happen like that.”

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When baby Selena was born, “We were very happy because that was our first granddaughter,” Ricardo says.

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Selena even brought on-off boyfriend Justin Bieber to meet her grandparents. “We like Justin,” Ricardo says, although his current behavior seems out of character.

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Selena’s grandparents nicknamed her and Bieber “flaca” and “flaco,” Spanish for “slim.”

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He bonded with the family during visits by eating Selena’s grandmother Mary’s Mexican cooking and playing video games on the rug.

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When Selena comes home to Texas, it’s “just to relax and stay away,” Ricardo says.

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She misses that family time,” Selena’s grandfather claims. Her rise to fame “was just so quick and sudden,” he says, and she’s been struggling to adjust.

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Selena’s dad Ricky now works at a local CVS in Texas.

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Adorable Selena was ready for her close-up on the day of her first communion.

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Her grandmother Mary and grandfather Ricardo say she should take a break from the bright lights of Hollywood to recharge and refocus.

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Ricardo and Mary’s Texas fireplace is still covered in doodles done by a young Selena.

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Now, “we tell her we sit here and watch the TV and we watch all the handwriting she did,” Ricardo says. “We remember the good old times.”

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Raised Catholic, Selena has been getting back to her roots and worshipping with Justin Bieber’s pastor in recent weeks.

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Photos of Selena as a child star still hang at her proud grandparents’ home.

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Her grandmother clutches a Barney doll Selena gave to her little brother Marcus, who they babysit.

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Her grandmother clutches a Barney doll Selena gave to her little brother Marcus, who they babysit.

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Despite Selena’s fame, they still live in a humble Texas home.

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Ricardo says he has three rules for his granddaughter: One, “Have god in your life first.”

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Two, he says, is, “Be yourself.”

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And third, Ricardo explains, is “Don’t let things get over your head.”

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Selena comes back to Grand Prairie on occasion, but Ricardo says they keep such visits “quiet.”

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The last time they saw her was at a concert in nearby Dallas.

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Their humble home is a far cry from Selena’s luxe L.A. digs.

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She once played alongside this fireplace while her teen parents tried to finish school.

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