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In a candid and deeply personal revelation, Khloé Kardashian has spoken out about why she stepped up to be the primary caregiver for her ex Tristan Thompson’s younger brother, Amari, an 18-year-old with a severe type of epilepsy. The businesswoman, reality TV star, and mother of two opened up about the personal family decision on the latest episode of her podcast Khloé in Wonder Land, sharing unheard details about the medical, emotional, and family reasons why she stepped in.

A Family Tragedy, A Lifelong Bond

Amari Thompson, who has Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a rare and debilitating form of epilepsy that causes multiple seizures daily, is unable to walk or speak. He was cared for by his and Tristan’s mother, Andrea Thompson, in Canada for years. However, when Andrea passed away suddenly in January 2023, the family was devastated and Amari was left without a caregiver.

Many assumed Tristan, Amari’s older brother and an NBA player, would take custody. But it was Khloé who ultimately stepped up in a way few expected.

“People are always like, ‘Why did I do that? Me and Tristan aren’t together, why would I take on helping with Amari?’” she said on her podcast. “But when I met Tristan’s family almost 10 years ago, I became close friends with Andrea. I helped her with Amari’s medical care. I was involved in his appointments. My relationship with Andrea has nothing to do with my relationship with Tristan.”

From Reality Star to Caregiver

While she split from Thompson in 2021 after he impregnated another woman, Khloé insisted that her commitment to Amari was unwavering. The Good American founder detailed that after Andrea’s death, she, Tristan, and other family members brought Amari to Los Angeles, where Khloé would now care for him full time alongside her own children, True, 7, and Tatum, 3.

“Tristan is in the NBA and constantly traveling. That lifestyle isn’t ideal for someone like Amari,” she explained. “He has a handful of seizures every day. It’s just not conducive for him to be flying around or being in a different state every other day.”

Khloé went on that California’s stable weather has helped to improve Amari’s health, and that her Los Angeles home now has two “sensational caretakers” to assist with his daily care.

“We just want to provide Amari with the best, most beautiful life that we know how,” she said.

A Motherly Mission and a Teaching Moment

Khloé’s decision isn’t just about meeting medical needs. It’s also a conscious parenting choice. She spoke passionately about how Amari’s presence has positively impacted her children, calling it a “gift” to raise them in a home where compassion and understanding are everyday values.

“It’s so important for my kids to be exposed to all different types of people in the world,” she said. “I think it teaches compassion. Amari may be disabled, sure, but he’s also just like us.”

And although Amari is non-verbal, Khloé says his personality shines through in other ways.  “If you know him well enough, you see it. You see the glimmer in his eyes. He can definitely express himself. He lights up around the kids. He’s an amazing, amazing young man.”

A Legal and Emotional Task

Amari’s future became a public matter in September 2023, when Tristan filed for temporary legal guardianship, citing that their biological father, Trevor Thompson, had been absent since 2014. While Tristan handled the legal filings, it is Khloé who has physically and emotionally provided the environment Amari now calls home.

Her decision, she says, was never about rekindling a romance or seeking praise. It was simply about love, loyalty, and family.

“I have chosen to take care of him and be there for him because it’s not good that he travels,” she said. “Amari deserves my love and care, regardless of where me and Tristan stand.”

From Scandal to Selflessness

This new chapter in Khloé Kardashian’s life marks a big shift for a woman who was once the personification of tabloid drama. Her very public split with Thompson was messy and headline-making. But what has followed is something that nobody could have predicted: a quiet, stable kind of unconditional caring.

Even in the wake of betrayal and heartbreak, Khloé has redefined what it means to show up for someone not for image, not for attention, but because it’s the right thing to do.

“I’m so proud and honored that I have Amari in my life,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “And I love having him be a part of my family.”

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