Nick Cannon Opens Up After The Tragic Loss Of His Son

No parent should ever have to bury their child. Unfortunately, that was the reality for Nick Cannon, who tragically lost his son Zen — whom he shared with model Alyssa Scott — on December 5, 2021, as a result of a brain tumor, according to People. The five-month-old was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer known as glioma back in August 2021, just a few short months before he died. 

The father of six initially broke the news in front of a live audience during his segment "Pic of the Day" on the "The Nick Cannon Show." With tears in his eyes, the actor dedicated the episode to his son. "We called him 'Z Chilling,'" Cannon shared. "He was always smiling, always having, just the most beautiful spirit."

While the unbearable pain is still so fresh, the "Wild 'N Out" host is making sure he keeps the memory of his son Zen alive. 

On January 21, Nick Cannon posted a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram in honor of his late son. In the photo he is pictured with Zen, Moroccan and Monroe — the twins he shares with Mariah Carey — and his other set of twins Zion and Zillion, who he shares with well-known DJ Abby De La Rosa, per Essence. The 41-year-old revealed that he is "still missing [his] little dude." 

"His Spirit and brightness were soo strong #ZensLight 'To be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord'. 2Corinthians 5:8," he wrote in his caption. "The whole family, We ALL miss you young King! Forever Our Angel!" The post has garnered over 200,000 likes with over 2,000 comments of encouraging words and support. "He will forever be with you always watching over you," one fan wrote. "Sending you lots of love and prayers," another wrote. 

This isn't the first time the "Masked Singer" host has opened up about how he was coping with the sudden death of his son and how devastating it was to break the news to his other children. "Their understanding and them being there for me probably helped me keep it together as well as really deal with it," he told People in December, singling out his oldest two children specifically. "They were there for the entire journey."