Sherri Shepherd Gets Candid About Emotional Reaction To Son Going To Prom

Sherri Shepherd is a proud mama bear!

The multi-hyphenate star celebrated sending her son, Jeffrey Charles Tarpley Jr., to his high school prom with a social media update that explained why she got emotional on the boy's big day. She shares the teen, who happens to be her only child, with her ex-husband Jeffrey Tarpley.

Even though Jeffrey Jr. was born with developmental delays that resulted in his special needs, Shepherd has never wavered as his mother. The situation only made the former "The View" co-host more determined to fight for and build the 18-year-old into the man he is today.

Hence making it understanding and more endearing when she took to Instagram to share why she was a bundle of emotions when she sent the teenager off to his high school prom. In the pictures uploaded by the mother-of-two, her baby boy stunned in a black suit, blue bow tie and matching handkerchief, and white sneakers.

The images also highlighted the behind-the-scenes preparation and effort that Shepherd and her son put into his appearance, with the star brushing Jeffrey Jr.'s hair while dressed in white cargo pants and a pink tank top in one of them. Despite the impressive results in her son's look, the thing that stood out for her was how Jeffrey Jr. treated his prom date.

Recalling the sweet moment, the "Everybody Loves Raymond" actress penned under the carousel of snaps, "'Mom, why are you crying? It's just my prom!' Watching my son put a corsage on his date's wrist and helping her into the car... whew, I think I did alright!"

Going by the response she received, the 35th Daytime Emmy Awards co-host's fans agreed that she had done a great job raising her boy. One fan gushed, "Why am I crying?! I feel like it was last week when he was just...a kiddie. Momma, you've done right by him. I'm so proud of you both. Nothing but love." 

A second fan exclaimed, "He's such a handsome young man!! I know you're very proud of him!" a third chimed, "Awwww, he looks so dapper!!!!! You are an amazing mom!" "he looked so handsome. You did a fantastic job," a fourth person claimed, as a fifth agreed, "You've done more than amazing."

Shepherd, who uses any opportunity to laud her son, previously opened up to her 1.1 million followers about giving him more freedom. Alongside a clip of Jeffrey Jr. playing basketball at various points, she wrote a lengthy caption that began:

"My life was in LA, but my friend @teejmercer said, 'Sherri God said New York is not for you but it is for Jeffrey. That is where he will find his independence.'"

The Daytime Emmy-nominated star then admitted to the hardship of letting the teen jump because she wanted to "protect him from everything that could hurt him." She continued:

"But as he says goodbye to me and walks to the A train to Queens with his friends to see the Mets play, I say a prayer to the One who created him that as he spreads his wings, God will be there to catch him."

Instead of worrying, Shepherd has decided to focus on her baby boy's strengths and hand "everything else to God."

While many would have left jail feeling worthless, the "Ride Along 2" actress left with a valuable lesson that helped her achieve career success. Per The Blast, she had served an eight-day term in the early '90s for owing $10,000 in unpaid parking tickets.

When she spoke about it in March, she stated, "Yeah, I went to jail for not paying my tickets. At the time, I did not think being in jail was a good moment, but looking back, I learned to pay all my bills. Jail, that was a classroom. It was a life lesson, and now I pay my bills on time."

Reflecting further on her jai stint, Shepherd recounted that an inmate named Shelby, who doubled as her protector, took up the role because she knew the "High Hoops" star was "gonna be somebody." The Chicago native returned the favor by inviting Shelby to her two weddings — Tarpley in 2001 and Lamar Sally in 2011 — upon the latter's release.