Keke Wyatt Shares Her Frustration Receiving Information from Doctors About Her Youngest Son’s Genetic Disorder, Says He’s Defying Expectations of a Short Life
Keke Wyatt is not letting her youngest son, Ke’Zyah Jean Darring’s, health complications get her down, nor is she buying into doctors claims that his life will be short.
In an Atlanta Black Star exclusive, the singer shared that her experience with medical professionals has been one that could cast doubt on the toddler’s lifespan. But she is not accepting their projections as a declaration of what will be.
“I’m always frustrated by what the doctors say, ’cause they tell me my baby’s gon’ die every damn day, and here he is 16-months old. Kick rocks,” she said, speaking about ‘doctors’ opinion of Ke’Zyah’s condition back in October. “They always say crazy stuff, but I’m seeing something totally different than what they say.”
The ALLBLK “Keke Wyatt’s World” star and her husband Zackariah David Darring, learned that her eleventh child was diagnosed with the genetic disorder Trisomy 13, also known as Patau syndrome, during gestation. It is caused when chromosome 13 is duplicated three times, leading to developmental issues and physical abnormalities. Ke’Zyah has endured several procedures in under two years.
Wyatt and her husband were given the option to abort the pregnancy, however, they agreed to move forward, instead leaning on their faith and belief that the surprise baby was still a blessing to their family.
At the time, she told Atlanta Black Star that the only “weird” characteristic Ke’Zyah displayed was seizures, however, even then she noted that children without diagnoses also suffer from them.
“The only reason he’s having seizures is because he was overdosed by a nurse, but she’s gone,” said the powerhouse vocalist, though she did not go into more detail about the nurse.
“But … I take it, I take it in order to look in those beautiful little fat eyeballs. How yo eyeballs fat? He’s so fat his eyeballs fat, and he’s so brown, and juicy, and his lashes touch his eyebrows. Long as I get to look at that everyday, I really don’t care. It don’t matter to me,” she continued.
“This is a time in my life where things are different and they’re really different, especially like being back with my first love for one, for two, having a special-needs child; it’s very different. It’s difficult at times but amazing, and I wouldn’t change it,” continued the former “R&B Divas: Atlanta” cast member.
But even with all the love she has for her child, she acknowledged that there many moments filled with angst.
The “My First Love” songstress explained, “Literally every moment is like walking on eggshells because one minute they’re completely fine, and then in the next like, he’ll have like a seizure and turn blue and stop breathing, and you gotta literally grab him and save his life. It’s the craziest thing, but he’s healthy, and he’s beautiful, and he’s wonderful, and he’s amazing, and you almost don’t even care. But the challenges be challenging, it be real.”
Keke Wyatt shares concerns that her 1-year-old son may be nonverbal and wonders if he will walk pic.twitter.com/x7psjwZKL8
— Peter Dredd (@PeterDredd) February 24, 2024
The youngest Darring will be 2 in May, but, according to Wyatt’s recent Instagram Live, he is showing signs that he may be nonverbal. In a vulnerable moment, she revealed that he can only say mom. “Not to say he won’t [speak]. I have faith in God … that God will do whatever he wants to do, but … as a mother of many, he would have been talking by now if he was going to be verbal,” she told fans.
During the transparent moment, Wyatt also spoke candidly about Ke’Zyah suffering from sleep apnea and being a silent crier. She divulged that she had been up for three days and three nights watching him sleep, as the nursing company she uses to help care for him has not sent her any relief for an undisclosed reason.
“This is my reality, and it’s OK. And I love him, and I’m here for it. I hate that I don’t have help, but you know, like, this is what I feel like you guys should see. This is what I really do, this is what really goes on. … It’s very tiring, but I do it ’cause I love him. He didn’t ask to be here. … I’m not gon’ lie, it’s hard,” she said.
Singer #KeKeWyatt partners with pastor in starting a new church, in the #Atlanta area, called SOUND-Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/h5UcCgx4Gf
— Grindz TV (@Grindz_TV) February 20, 2024
Wyatt shares children Keyver, Rahjah, and Ke’Tarah with her ex-husband and road manager, Rahmat Morton. Their fourth child, a daughter named Heaven, was stillborn in 2009 amid their divorce. She welcomed Ke’Mar, Wyatt, and Ke’Yoshi with her second husband, Michael Ford.
She gave birth to their fourth child, Kendall, after their divorce in 2017 and is also stepmother to Ford’s daughter, Kayla, from a previous relationship. Along with Ke’Zyah, she also shares a son, Ke’Riah, with her current husband.
Along with her duties as a wife and mother to many, she is now a co-founder of Sound Atlanta, a church in the Atlanta suburb of Stonecrest, Georgia, with Pastor Larry Weathers.