Nick Cannon and Alyssa Scott are experiencing an unimaginable loss. Their 5-month-old, Zen, has died from a brain tumor. The 41-year-old host broke the heartbreaking news on Tuesday on The Nick Cannon Show.
“Over the weekend I lost my youngest son to a condition called hydrocephalus that is pretty much a malignant, midline brain tumor — brain cancer,” he said. Hydrocephalus, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, is a condition “in which excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) builds up within the fluid-containing cavities or ventricles of the brain.”
Zen was born in June. He was Cannon’s seventh and youngest child, whom he shared with Scott. The Wild ‘N’ Out shared how he and his family were first made aware of Zen’s diagnosis.
“I always noticed he had a cough and so I wanted to check it out,” he said. “He had this interesting breathing and by the time he was two months, I noticed he had this nice sized head too — a Cannon head. Like all my kids got really nice round heads. We didn’t think anything of it. But I wanted to take him to the doctor for his sinus and breathing. We thought it would be routine.”
But when Cannon took the baby to the doctor for a routine check-up, it was discovered that he had a malignant tumor and fluid building in his head. Zen had brain surgery and a shunt to drain the fluid out of his head. The family hoped the procedure would alleviate the problem and stayed positive.
“We were faithful and hopeful for that time,” Cannon reflected and went on to describe how Zen was playing with his siblings and how the family came together during this time.
He also took a moment to praise Scott and commend her strength.
“Alyssa was just like the strongest woman I’ve ever seen because she never had an argument, never was angry. You know was emotional when she needed to be but was always the best mom and continues to be the best mom possible.
Despite the optimism, events took a turn for the worse around Thanksgiving when Zen’s tumor grew.
“Up until then he was just like all my other kids just loving and fun and but Thanksgiving we had an interesting turn and the process sped up,” he said. “And ultimately if anybody knows how cancers were, it was cancer in the brain and the tumor began to grow a lot faster.”Ni
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Cannon tearfully reflected on the last, precious moments he spent with his son over the weekend. “We woke up on Sunday — I got to spend the weekend with him — and I woke up on Sunday and was like, ‘I feel like I want to go to the water.’ We got a chance to go to the ocean.”
He reflected on holding his son for the last time, “I was preparing my day as it normally went. I didn’t know what it was going to be. But even by the time I got in the car headed for the airport, I had to turn around, to be with Zen.” He added, “I turned around and not only did we get to see the sunrise, but we got to see the sunset too.’
Cannon told his viewers he will be taking some time off to grieve and dedicated Tuesday’s taping to Zen.
“People were often telling me I should pray for miracles and I did pray for the miracle. I pray for the miracle of God’s strength and that’s why I’m here with you guys.”
Scott posted videos and pictures of Zen on her Instagram story on Monday and Tuesday.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CV0qVY1vvBa/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Cannon shares 10-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe Cannon with singer Mariah Carey; son Golden, 4, and daughter Powerful Queen Cannon, 11 months, with Brittany Bell; and 5-month-old twins Zion Mixolydian Cannon and Zillion Heir Cannon with Abby De La Rosa.
Sending love, light and healing to Nick and his family!
