Nick Cannon and Alyssa Scott brought their families together to celebrate the life of their late son, Zen.
“Thank you for all the love and support that everyone sent our way today,” Cannon, 43, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, June 23. “Truly appreciate everyone who showed up and celebrated our beautiful Angel 👼🏽 ZEN SCOTT CANNON 6/23.”
Cannon shared a series of group photos from the event hosted by his and Scott’s Zen’s Light Foundation, which is named after the pair’s son who died of brain cancer in December 2021 when he was just 5 months old.
The celebration of life fell on what would have been Zen’s third birthday. In one snap, the group stood outside holding blue balloons up in the sky. The other pictures featured the attendees inside a room decorated with candles and photos of Zen.
Scott, 30, also shared a picture from inside the event via her Instagram Story, captioning the pic, “Happy birthday Zen.”
Cannon and Scott founded the charity in 2022. The organization helps support families with pediatric healthcare and grief counseling. The pair hosted the foundation’s first event on Zen’s first birthday since his passing.
“June 23rd will forever be a day of celebration. A beautiful lighting ceremony to honor the life of an Angel. Zen’s birth has now transformed into ‘Zen’s Light.’ We are proud to announce his new foundation that will help so many others in this world,” Cannon wrote via Instagram in June 2022. ‘Zen’s Light’ mission is to foster global excellence in hope, grief-care, and pediatric healthcare for families and children in need. Thank you for everyone who joined us at this inaugural event, specifically the Children’s Hospital of Orange County and our other beautiful partners. Can’t wait for next year where our Lighting Gala will continue grow to help find a cure for pediatric Cancer, further research and help console more families during difficult times. 🙏🏾.”
Six months later, Cannon and Scott quietly welcomed daughter Halo, now 13 months. When announcing the birth of her and Cannon’s little one, Scott paid homage to Zen in an emotional post.
“Our lives are forever changed ❤️Zen is in every breath I take. I know his spirit was with us in the room that morning. I know he is watching down on us. He shows me signs everyday. I will hold onto this memory forever,” she wrote via Instagram at the time. “I will remember the sound of Nicks’ voice saying ‘it’s a girl’ and the look of everything we’ve been through flash across his face. I will remember the sound of her crying out with her first breath and feeling her heartbeat against mine. My sweet girl, I got my surprise!! We love you Halo Marie Cannon!”
