John Legend Opens Up About 6-Year-Old Son’s Diabetes Diagnosis

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen say they’re navigating the highs and lows of parenting together, but it wasn’t until their son’s diabetes diagnosis that the strength of their relationship was truly tested.
The 45-year-old recalled when the couple first discovered their 6-year-old son, Miles, had Type 1 diabetes, saying it started during summer camp after a majority of attending children, including Miles, caught a stomach bug.
“I remember he was at the emergency room because of it and they checked his [Miles’s] blood sugar. The thinking was, this may be a reaction to the infection or he may be diabetic. They did some more tests and decided it was the latter, that he was Type 1 diabetic.”
The “All of Me” singer said as much as the diagnosis came as a shock to the entire family, his wife took a proactive approach in educating herself on the chronic condition and how to help their son.
“My personality is one where I’m very optimistic and I’m very practical. As soon as I learned that he had this I knew it was going to be life-changing for him and for us, but I’m also like, ‘We can do this.’ We’ve got great advice and lots of people offering support to help us learn,” said Legend.
There are many factors that can lead to Type 1 diabetes, such as genetics or viral infections, and while there is no cure for the disease, treatment options are geared towards managing a person’s sugar with insulin shots as well as diet and lifestyle changes.
The couple—who also share daughters Luna, 8, and Esti, 19 months, and 14-month-old son Wren—has turned their attention to Miles’s medical needs and dietary restrictions.
“He’s early in his diagnosis, and when you’re early, your insulin is still doing some of the work that it needs to do … but as the disease progresses, it’s going to get to a point where we really need to monitor everything, count carbs, give him insulin beforehand. We just have to be more aware,” Legend said.
“This speaks to us feeling like a team and knowing we can do this. It just makes us stronger,” he said.
Teigen opened up about Miles via social media in August, after fans were quick to spot a glucose monitor on his arm from a photo of the two together during the Paris Olympics.
She expressed gratitude for those who reached out and offered words of encouragement to Miles and their family.
“Soooo many of you reached out to say the most beautiful and incredible words I have ever witnessed on this platform,” she wrote.
“You noticed his Type-1 diabetes monitor and extended so much love and encouragement in every way possible. I was, and am, so blown away by the kindness of this community, already.”