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Nick Cannon's five-month-old son Zen dies from brain cancer

Nick Cannon has revealed the heartbreaking news that his youngest son, five-month-old Zen, has died.

The 41-year-old star had tears flowing down his face as he revealed his heartache on The Nick Cannon Show, explaining that the child he shares with Alyssa Scott had a brain tumour.

Nick Cannon crying talking about his son Zen
Nick Cannon has revelaed his five-month-old sn has died. Photo: Nick Cannon Show

Nick said he was feeling "vulnerable" publicly sharing the loss, which happened on Sunday, and dedicated the show "to my son Zen."

Nick said Zen, the youngest of his seven children, was born in June and he and Alyssa noticed early on that the baby had breathing problems and a lingering cough.

They "thought it would be a routine process" when they took the two-month-old to the doctor for a checkup.

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The couple were told the baby's sinuses were fine, but there was fluid building up in his head which was determined to be caused by a malignant brain tumour.

Soon after, the baby had brain surgery to put in a shunt to help drain excess fluid. Nick thanked the professionals at Children's Hospital of Orange County for helping them through that.

Nick Cannon's son Zen
Zen had a brain tumour. Photo: Nick Cannon Show
Nick Cannon, his son Zen and Alyssa Scott
Nick shared Zen with Alyssa Scott. Photo: Nick Cannon Show

He said he remained "hopeful" and "faithful" after the surgery, but also "embraced every moment" with his baby boy. He said he was "so grateful to my entire family for coming together" to spend time with Zen, as the star also has 10-year-old twins with Mariah Carey (Monroe and Moroccan), 5-month-old twins with DJ Abby De La Rosa (Zion and Zillion) and two children with model Brittany Bell (Golden "Sagon," 4, and Powerful Queen, 1).

However, around Thanksgiving, the growth of the tumour "sped up" and they knew the end was near. By this past weekend, it became even more clear.

Cannon said he devotes his weekends to his kids, flying back to New York on Monday to tape his talk show. On Sunday morning, he brought Zen "to the ocean" to watch the sunrise and recalled "holding my son for the last time."

Photo: Nick Cannon Show
Photo: Nick Cannon Show

On the way to the airport soon after, he got the call to turn around.

"Not only did we get to see the sun rise," Cannon said, fighting back tears, "but we saw the sun set too."

Cannon said he grieved with this family and called Scott "the strongest woman" and "best mom."

He said he wasn't sure how to share the news publicly, saying he didn't want any "pageantry." But he's always been candid about his personal life, so he's living his motto, "You don't just go through it, you grow through it," by sharing the news on his show.

Cannon also said he's relying on his faith in God to get him through his grief. He said the episode would be a "special show dedicated to my son Zen," and he shared multiple pictures of the beautiful baby boy throughout.

Reporting by Suzy Byrne

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