Lamar Odom Talks About Late Son On 'Celebrity Big Brother': 'I Didn't Get To Grieve Properly'
By Fiyin Olowokandi on February 9, 2022 at 8:30 AM EST
Lamar Odom went into the "Celebrity Big Brother" house with a game plan to win the $250,000 prize but found unexpected new friends.
In a recent episode, Odom got candid about his lingering feelings following the unfortunate passing of his son Jayden.
The former NBA player told his housemates Todd Bridges and Cynthia Bailey about dreaming of his offspring, who died at six months old.
Lamar Odom Talks Son's Passing On "Celebrity Big Brother"
Odom showed that the loss of a child never truly goes away when he made a touching revelation on the February 8 episode of the competitive series, according to PEOPLE.
That Monday night, the NBA alum confided in Bridges and Bailey that he might need to cry because he had a dream where his deceased infant spoke to him.
Odom chalked up the incident to unpacked baggage surrounding Jayden's passing in 2006. He said:
"You know what that's from, though? I didn't get to grieve properly, I don't think, when my son passed away.
The 6-month-old also shared a cryptic message with his father, who explained, "He kept saying, 'Snatch the rainbow, Daddy.' When he passed away, he couldn't talk. He could just talk with his eyes."
Opening up to Bridges and Bailey encouraged Odom to talk more about his son's passing in a confessional. He revealed that Jayden died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
The proud father recalled that he and his son had a stellar relationship while he was alive, and the infant's eyes would follow his every move until he gave in and picked him up.
Odom praised Jayden for being a really special baby who would have clocked about 14 or 15 years of age today. He continued saying:
"There's just something I don't think I'd ever get over. But him coming to me in a dream lets me know that he's not too far away. And I know I'll see him in an afterlife."
Khloe Kardashian's Ex-Husband Rarely Saw His Kids During Their Marriage
Odom talked about how his decision to marry Khloe Kardashian and life in the spotlight affected his ability to spend time with his kids in his 2019 memoir "Darkness To Light."
The former Lakers star is a father to Destiny Odom, who his high school girlfriend Liza Morales conceived 12 months before the Los Angeles Clippers drafted him in 1999.
In 2002, Morales gave birth to a son, Lamar Odom Jr. In 2005, following Odom's stellar years as an NBA player, his girlfriend welcomed a third child Jayden.
At age 27, the athlete and his partner were rocked by the passing of their youngest offspring and eventually chose to part ways.
Odom began seeing other women, including "Empire" star Taraji P. Henson In 2009. He later met the Good American co-founder at an LA event and fell in love at first sight.
The newlyweds bagged a "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" spinoff series "Khloé & Lamar." Odom's children were never featured on the show, although he spoke of them occasionally.
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Odom explained in his memoir that his offspring resided in New York with Morales, and he "rarely saw them." He strayed farther from his children when he chose to move to Las Vegas in 2015.
Though the "Khloé & Lamar" stars went their separate ways in 2013, Kardashian stayed by Odom's side during his 2015 overdose at a brothel in Nevada. They later finalized their split in 2016.
Destiny opened up to PEOPLE about having the "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" alum as a stepmom. She noted:
“When your dad’s an NBA player, that’s already enough. But when he’s marrying a reality TV star, things are so public, and you don’t have a private life anymore.”
The 'Celebrity Big Brother' Star Hoped To Meet Ex-Wife In House
Odom takes every chance he gets to talk about his ex-wife lately and continues to be vocal about wanting to see her again.
The Blast disclosed that, after being confirmed as one of the 11 cast members on Season 3 of "Celebrity Big Brother," the "Lamar Odom: Reborn" star expressed his desires to reconnect with the socialite.
Though the goal of his casting on the reality series is to win $250,000, Odom told ET, "Well, I’m hoping I’ll bump into Khloe Kardashian."