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Emily Bustamante recently opened up about her daughter, Journey Jackson, sharing that she and rapper Fabolous are navigating the challenges of Journey’s autism.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Emily explained, “My daughter Journey is autistic. She is nonverbal and experiences sensory processing difficulties. Additionally, she was born with PHACE syndrome, a rare congenital condition.”
Although glimpses of her family life have appeared on social media over the years, Emily had kept this particular aspect of their story private until now.
“I have kept this part of my life away from the public eye for quite some time,” Emily expressed on Instagram. “Not due to embarrassment, nor a lack of love, but because certain journeys hold a sacred space in our lives.”
Emily shared that raising Journey has transformed her in profound and indescribable ways.
“She experiences the world differently. She’s changed me in ways I still can’t fully put into words. There have been moments of fear. Moments of learning. Moments where I had to become stronger than I ever imagined. But more than anything… there has been LOVE.”
#Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, is a diverse group of brain development conditions.
In 2021, about 1 in 127 people worldwide were estimated to be on the autism spectrum.
Signs may appear in early childhood, but many go undiagnosed for years.
Early understanding and… pic.twitter.com/K253AXxXlE
— World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific (@WHOWPRO) April 2, 2026
The timing of her decision to speak out was intentional as today, April 2nd, is recognized as World Autism Day.
“On World Autism Awareness Day..I’m choosing to share this openly. Because visibility matters and so does she. If you’d like to follow along as I share more about her journey and autism awareness.”
She also pointed followers to @aspecialjourneyorg, where she plans to continue documenting Journey’s experience and raising awareness for Autism. The Instagram bio for the organization reads, “Supporting children with autism & complex diagnoses. Advocacy • Awareness • Community Founded by @emilyb_.”
Emily shares three children — Jonas, Johan, and Journey — with Fabolous. She is also mom to Taina Williams from a previous relationship.