Nick Cannon may be a father of 12 and a man of many hats, but when it comes to his son Zen, he’s simply a dad who is still holding space for love and loss of his little one.

On June 23, Cannon took to Instagram to honor what would’ve been Zen’s fourth birthday. The video he posted was quiet, reverent showing the 44-year-old lighting a candle and visiting a hospital, all in memory of his little boy who passed away at just five-months-old after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

“Today, we celebrate what would have been my son Zen’s fourth birthday,” Cannon captioned his post. “Though he was with us for a brief time, his light continues to inspire others through the work of the Zen’s Light Foundation.”

Zen passed away in December 2021 after doctors discovered a malignant brain tumor and fluid buildup in his head. Cannon and Zen’s mother, Alyssa Scott, received the devastating diagnosis just three months after his birth. Despite the unimaginable circumstances, Cannon remembers Zen as full of life and joy in his short time here.

“We were faithful and hopeful for that time,” he shared on The Nick Cannon Show after Zen’s passing. “He was still just playing with his brothers and sisters. I embraced every moment.”

To carry that light forward, Cannon and Scott established the Zen’s Light Foundation in 2022. The mission of the foundation is support families navigating grief, pediatric illness, and emotional healing.

“Zen’s birth has now transformed into ‘Zen’s Light,’” Cannon explained in a social media post at the time. “We are proud to announce his new foundation that will help so many others in this world.”

This year, for Zen’s fourth birthday, The Masked Singer host partnered with ReisFields to launch Zen’s Light: A Celebration of Life Candle. The beautifully intentional candle supports families impacted by childhood cancer, with 100% of proceeds going to the foundation. “Every purchase goes directly to supporting families affected by childhood cancer and other diseases,” Cannon said in a recent post.

Cannon continues to speak openly about his grief and how he tries to turn that pain into something meaningful. 

Alyssa Scott also remembered Zen this year with a touching Instagram video of her “little guy”.

In addition to Zen, Scott and Cannon share another child, daughter, Halo Marie Cannon. She was born on December 14, 2022.

Photo Credit: Nick Cannon Instagram; Alyssa Scott Instagram