Brian McKnight’s Ex-Wife Calls Him ‘A Liar’ After Singer Claims She Demanded He Stop Helping Their Son Niko Amid Cancer Battle

Brian, Julie, & Niko McKnight

Brian McKnight’s Ex-Wife Calls Him ‘A Liar’ After Singer Claims She Demanded He Stop Helping Their Son Niko Amid Cancer Battle

R&B singer Brian McKnight is addressing criticism that he has seemingly not been helping his son Niko since his cancer diagnosis.

The musician claimed that he offered to assist upon finding out about his son’s illness, but said his efforts were thwarted by his “hostile” ex-wife Julie.

Brian McKnight

Brian McKnight explained his version of what happened while answering social media questions during his weekly Q&A. After one commenter remarked that he should:

“try writing something for your son Niko who is dying in the hospital with Stage 4 cancer”

Brian McKnight alleged that he had already gotten involved, stating:

“Six months ago, we found out about this [Niko’s cancer diagnosis]…We called him. We talked to him, we talked to his wife. She told us that she was all alone and handling everything all by herself and it became quickly evident to us that since they didn’t have insurance and they didn’t have access to the proper doctors, naturally, we jumped into action.”

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Claiming that he and his wife Leilani Mendoza retrieved Niko’s medical reports and set him up with “the best specialist in the country,” he continued:

“We miraculously found a treatment facility near our home that put him at the top of the list and then we put down a deposit to secure that place.”

Niko McKnight

Brian McKnight went on to claim that while arranging for Niko and his wife to fly out to his home, he received a “hostile” phone call from his ex-wife, Niko’s mother Julie, who allegedly demanded he stay out of their child’s medical affairs. Speculating why she would (allegedly) refuse his help, he added:

“I can only imagine that if that help came from me, that it would go against the strong narrative that’s being pushed out there about me…So what are we doing? We’re adhering to her wishes because that’s what she wanted and we’re staying out of it.”

Julie McKnight

Julie, who was married to the 17x Grammy nominee from 1990 – 2003 has since responded, blasting her ex for being, as she claimed, “a liar.” She wrote in a statement:

“This is, once again, a response to bait myself & my family into his false narrative. He is a liar.”

Brian & Julie McKnight

The back and forth between the estranged co-parents comes just a week after Niko and Julie blasted Brian for referring to his four biological children as “evil” and a “product of sin.” Along with Niko and Brian Jr., who the celebrity also shares with Julie, Brian is father to daughter Briana and son Clyde. As we recently covered, the musician was responding to Q&A questions and made the remark after someone asked why he continues to make a public show of not claiming his adult (biological) kids.

It does not appear the singer has said anything further on the matter at this time.

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