In a candid interview with Diary of a CEO, Nick Cannon shared a deeply personal and life-altering experience, shedding light on how his ex-wife, Mariah Carey, played a pivotal role in saving his life when he was diagnosed with lupus.
Cannon described the diagnosis as “life-changing,” recounting the moment he realized something was amiss. He experienced an unusual and uncomfortable pain in his side, which he initially thought could be jogged away. However, after returning home, he unexpectedly lost consciousness, prompting Carey to take immediate action.
“Mariah came in and found me,” said the father of 12, “and they rushed me to the ER in Aspen… I didn’t think it was that bad because I had just returned from jogging in Aspen. So they’re like, he probably has altitude sickness. I was just dehydrated, so that was the narrative we were going with. But the longer I was in the hospital [the doctors] were like, ‘Oh, maybe he has a kidney stone because there’s something going on back there.’ And I was like, ‘No, it wasn’t a kidney stone.’”
Subsequent tests revealed that his immune system was attacking his kidneys, leading to the lupus diagnosis. Cannon praised Carey’s unwavering support in his journey to remain healthy and alive.
“And then they wanted to do a biopsy, and then through the biopsy, I think it was like acute kidney failure. It wasn’t full. I had caught it early enough to where my kidneys didn’t completely fail, and then they found out the reason why is that my immune system was attacking my kidneys… A lot of times it’s not hereditary. They don’t know what the cause of it is. It’s related to stress, which I didn’t think I was stressed out, but there are various types of stress, physical stress, and emotional stress, [that] can send your immune system out of whack, and therefore your immune system then starts to self-destroy,” Cannon explained.
He expressed his gratitude toward Carey during his health struggles, acknowledging that while her dual role as global superstar and caregiver took a toll on their relationship, ultimately it was through these challenges that they grew closer.
“[Mariah] was my rock, man. She went hard, [I] probably wouldn’t even, I’ll be honest, probably wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for how hard she went with the doctors, with me, my stubbornness. She was the perfect helpmate, the perfect matriarch, the perfect mom, the perfect wife in those scenarios.”
Cannon’s revelation not only underscores the importance of having a solid support system during health crises but also reveals how personal struggles can fortify and deepen meaningful relationships.
This article was written by Black Enterprise contributor Rafael Pena.
