Nick Cannon is always keeping the memory of his late son, Zen, alive.
On Saturday, the father of 12 shared a video of him with Alyssa Scott and their daughter, Halo, on the beach. The trio are at their sweetest as Scott and Cannon dote on their daughter, whose older brother, Zen, died at five months old in 2021 after being diagnosed with brain cancer.
“Zen’s Light and presence shining over little miss Halo and Mommy and Daddy,” Cannon captioned the post, as the video shows the sun beginning to set on the family of three. “What a beautiful day to remind us all that there is a higher power and God’s Energy and frequency to keep us all going under his grace and mercy even in the midst of challenges. ❤️🙏🏾 @itsalyssaemm.”
Bre Tiesi, the mother of Cannon’s son, Legendary, shared her support for Cannon’s words by commenting with a series of emojis.
Cannon is dad to 12 kids. He shares 12-year-old twins, Moroccan and Monroe, with ex-wife Mariah Carey; Golden, 6, Powerful, 3, and Rise, 1, with Brittany Bell; 2-year-old twins, Zion and Zillion, and Beautiful, 1, with Abby De La Rosa; Halo, 1, and the late Zen with Scott; Legendary, 1, with Bre Tiesi; Onyx, 1, with LaNisha Cole.
In December 2021, Cannon shared on his since-canceled eponymous daytime talk show that Zen, his seventh child at the time, died of brain cancer and a subsequent tumor.
Cannon somberly explained to his viewers that Zen had died due to hydrocephalus, a condition he described as “a malignant, midline brain tumor — brain cancer.” According to the Mayo Clinic, hydrocephalus “is the buildup of fluid in the cavities (ventricles) deep within the brain. The excess fluid increases the size of the ventricles and puts pressure on the brain.”
In April 2023, Cannon opened up about the emotional journey behind the revelation in conversation with hip-hop legend and co-founder of Hip Hop Public Health Doug E. Fresh, board-certified neurologist and co-founder of Hip-Hop Public Health Dr. Olajide Williams, and GRAMMY-nominated Dreamville Records artist Lute for Men’s Health’s Hip-Hop Health: Mind Over Music event. The multi-hyphenate explained that he sought therapy after the loss of his son and continues to attend daily.
“I still don’t handle it as well as I would like to. It keeps you up late at night — the guilt. How to deal with guilt. The experience of losing a child. All of those things, that’s a day-to-day battle,” Cannon shared. “But through the processes, through having loved ones, having a partner that is just as understanding and willing to take that journey with you.”
Reflecting on how he revealed the news to the outside world, Cannon mused whether he could have said things differently to soften the blow for his Nick Cannon Show watchers. “I remember my daily talk show, I didn’t know what to say, I probably did some things, I know I did some things that I know weren’t the correct way to handle it, but I just had to get it out,” he explained, adding that he still struggles with how much of his private life he shares with the public.
“I kept the idea — and maybe it was more out of optimism — I’m gonna keep this in. I’m not gonna tell anybody about what my family or what my son is going through because I don’t want to be sad…” he said. “But in hindsight, I probably should have talked to people, so it wouldn’t have been such a shock when it did happen. It’s constant. None of us are perfect, but God ain’t done with me yet.”
The day after what would have been Zen’s first birthday, Cannon and Scott announced a new foundation in honor of their late son, with the goal of helping to find a cure for pediatric cancer. The duo took to their Instagram accounts at the time and announced the Zen’s Light Foundation, whose mission “is to foster global excellence in hope, grief-care, and pediatric healthcare for families and children in need.” Cannon and Scott attended “a beautiful lighting ceremony to honor the life of an Angel” to commemorate the occasion.
Cannon and Scott have since welcomed their second child together, whom the model gave birth to on Dec. 14. The pair shared photos and videos from Halo’s first birthday party, which featured snow flurries and winter-themed balloons.
