Brian McKnight's Ex-Wife Rips The Singer For Refusing To Say 'I Love You' To Their Dying Son, Niko

Brian McKnight's ex-wife, Julie McKnight, has slammed him for his blatant refusal to tell his dying son Niko that he loved him.

The singer's eldest son, Brian Jr., made the revelation about their father's refusal to be affectionate with his late brother, calling it the "darkest," "coldest," and "most disheartening" memory of his life.

Brian McKnight has remained estranged from his biological children and announced he didn't claim them because they were the "product of sin."

Brian McKnight's Ex-Wife Slams Him For Withholding Affection From Dying Son

Brian McKnight's ex-wife, Julie, has some harsh words for her ex for refusing to tell his dying son Niko that he loved him.

The former couple were married from 1990 to 2003, and shared sons Brian Jr. and Niko, born Cole Nikolas McKnight. They'd later lose Niko after he lost his battle with cancer in May at the age of 32.

Reflecting on her ex-husband's "heartbreaking" decision not to tell their dying son, "I love you," Julie told Page Six that those words ought to come "easily, freely and often," especially when it's in the case of an ailing child.

She said that Niko "deserved that love spoken over him more than ever," as he fought "through pain," and lived with "fear and uncertainty" in those final days of his life.

Julie McKnight Branded Her Ex-Husband's Actions 'Heartbreaking'

The 54-year-old went further to address the need for parents to be affectionate with their kids, as they tend to need it in their "most fragile" state.

She added that "there is nothing more heartbreaking than hearing your child say that all they want is to simply hear his father say" that affectionate three-word remark.

"No child should have to long for something so basic, so pure, so necessary to the human heart," she continued. "As his mother, hearing those words from him cut deeper than anything I could have imagined."

"It reminded me of how powerful love is and how deeply our children depend on it, especially in their most fragile moments," Julie said.

Julie concluded, "I pray that every parent understands the weight of their words, the importance of their presence, and the healing that love spoken and shown can bring."

Brian Jr. Exposed Their Father's Decision To Not Tell Niko 'I Love You'

Brian Jr. Recently sat for an interview with Marc Lamont Hill, where he exposed his father's refusal to tell his late brother that he loved him, calling it "one of the darkest and coldest and most disheartening memories of [his] life."

Apparently, Brian Jr. cautioned Niko not to call their father because he "knew what was going to happen," but Niko went ahead still, and moments later, called his elder brother on the phone, sobbing," to tell him he was right.

"Because I knew where my dad was. I told [Niko], 'Dad is gone.' All my brother wanted, needed, asked for was my father to tell him he loves him," Brian Jr. noted, per Page Six.

He continued, "My father responds to my brother, 'I can't arbitrarily say that I love you.' But this is the man that wanted to help him?"

Brian has been estranged from his children amid the fallout of his marriage to their mother.

Back in October 2023, he announced that he was changing his legal name so that he could become a senior to his then-newborn son Brian Kainoa Makoa Jr., whom he shares with wife Leilani Mendoza.

The decision seemed like a blow to his elder son, Brian Jr., whom he was already a senior to.

Brian McKnight Claimed His Ex-Wife Prevented Him From Helping

In his defense, the "Back at One" singer claimed that he tried to help Niko with his cancer battle, but Julie prevented him after she allegedly made a "hostile" call warning him to stay away from their son.

"So what are we doing? We're adhering to her wishes because that's what she wanted, and we're staying out of it," he said.

Meanwhile, Julie denied the claims, telling the news outlet that "This is, once again, a response to bait myself & my family into his false narrative," before going on to call him "a liar."

Alongside Brian Jr. and Niko, the musician also shares daughter Briana with his ex-partner, Patricia Driver, and son Clyde with an unidentified woman.

However, he only claims the son and two stepchildren he shares with Mendoza, writing in his Instagram bio that he is the "father of Julia, Jack, Kekoa Matteo & Brian Kainoa Makoa McKnight Jr."

The Singer Has Sparred With Fans Over His Treatment Of His Kids

Ever since news of his estrangement from his kids came to light, Brian has been severely criticized by fans for not caring for his biological children.

A fan previously pointed out to the singer that disowning his children went "against God," but Brian hit back in an Instagram statement, explaining that he couldn't claim them because they're a "product of sin."

In his words: "1. God wasn't talking about children that are the product of sin, which these are 2. I didn't raise them, their mothers did 3. Know the whole story before quoting the Bible 4. Take your inaccurate negativity off my page and try being happy."