Michael Jai White Discusses His Son Dying From COVID-19 Months Ago

BY Erika Marie 116.4K Views
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Michael Jai White, COVID-19
The actor spoke about the "street life" having a hold on his son who was hospitalized "for a while" before passing away.

The Delta variant of COVID-19 is ravaging communities and it's reported that over 21,000 new cases of the virus have been confirmed in Florida alone, but it's the summer so people aren't giving up their festivals and vacations. There are still arguments between anti-vaxxers and those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine, and altercations over wearing masks continue to take over social media timelines. Actor Michael Jai White recently revealed that his family suffered a tragedy in the pandemic after his 38-year-old son passed away from COVID-19 just a few months ago.

During an interview with VladTV, the actor was asked about how many children he had from previous relationships before his wife. He had to take a moment to think about it, because he doesn't see his children as being separate just because they come from different mothers. As Vlad attempted to tally up the total, the actor told him to "subtract one" following the death of his son.

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White revealed he was just 15-years-old when his son, his eldest child, was born. "Unfortunately, the street element was still part of his life growing up," said White. "He was in the hospital for a while so it wasn't immediate. Unfortunately, he was still kinda out there in the streets hustling, wasn't doing well, started getting on substances. He'd come out, go back in, all that type of stuff."

The actor said he did what he could for his son but "ultimately, it's up to that person, especially if it's a grown person." The street life was "his thing" and said when his son got sick and was admitted to the hospital, "COVID was waiting for him... That was the knockout blow." The substance abuse reportedly made his "system compromised" and while his death was tragic, he left behind six children.

Watch Michael Jai White speak about his son, and other memories, below. 


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.