Lamar Odom’s Ex Liza's Confession: Son’s Death Led To Drugs!
June 20 2018, Updated 6:57 p.m. ET
Lamar Odom’s baby mama Liza Morales has opened up about how their baby son Jayden’s tragic death propelled the devastated dad into drug addiction.
As RadarOnline.com readers know, the former NBA champion, 37, has suffered from a series of substance abuse scandals since his 2013 separation from then wife Khloe Kardashian.
Nearly two years after the former basketball player’s near-fatal overdose in 2015, Morales claimed the 2006 passing of his son is what started it all.
“I leaned on my spirituality. I leaned heavily on my family, my friends,” Morales told People. “And he didn’t.”
The former L.A. Lakers star first met Morales, 38, when the two were in high school, and the lovebirds quickly became teen sweethearts.
While Odom was making it big, a young Morales was busy at home raising their children.
However, the pressure of fame and his recurring troubles with drugs led Odom into temporary suspension from the league.
Things only worsened when five years later, Morales and Odom’s 6-month-old baby succumbed to sudden infant death syndrome — which as explained by the Mayo Clinic, is an unexplained death of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old.
“There was a lot of denial,” Morales recalled. “When it comes to an addict, you cannot force them to get help, you cannot want it more than them. Back then we wanted it more than him.”
Morales and Odom split soon after, but remain on good terms, as they continue to co-parent their other two children: Destiny, 17, and Lamar Jr., 14.
Destiny also spoke out about her dad’s hurtful addiction and recovery to People.
“Two years ago he was completely in denial about using drugs. Now he’s a lot more open, and he’s a lot more apologetic,” she said. “I feel like we’re trying to get our communication going, but it’s definitely one step at a time.”
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