X Factor UK winner Myles Stephenson revealed he was left “angry and confused” after his toddler son was left with irreversible brain damage following a stroke.
The 32-year-old singer first shot to fame as a member of the R&B group Rak-Su – who were crowned champs of the hit ITV show in 2017. Myles is also proud dad to two children that he shares with his long-term girlfriend Keli Hall – Shiloh, three, and one-year-old Sahara.
But last summer the pop star – on The Chase Celebrity Special this weekend (January 27) – spoke out about after learning his son Shiloh had suffered a stroke.
X Factor UK star reveals son suffered a stroke
Taking to his Instagram, Myles shared a picture of himself with Shiloh at the hospital. In the caption he wrote: “Stroke awareness. The hardest part about being parents is the things that are out of your control. When Shiloh was around six months old we noticed he wasn’t using his right hand & it was constantly in a fist.
“As first-time parents we didn’t think much of it. Especially because at his developmental checks we mentioned him seeming very left handed & this didn’t seem of concern.”
What unfolded we was not prepared for.
The X Factor singer noted how at around 12 months his son was “pulling himself up to stand”. It then took him a further six months to “take his first steps”.
He went on: “When he started walking, we noticed he was dragging his right foot. Family members recommended getting a GP appointment to make sure everything was okay. What unfolded we was not prepared for.”
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X Factor winner ‘angry, confused and sad’
Myles said: “Multiple appointments & eventually a MRI scan would later show that he had damage on the left side of his brain which had effected his right sided limbs.
“We was told Shiloh had a stroke sometime before, during or shortly after birth. Hearing the words hemiplegic cerebral palsy brought on a rush of anger, confusion & sadness.
“It wasn’t being told that your son won’t be the next Messi or Ronaldo that hurt. It was the thought that doing his laces, spinning spaghetti on a spoon or playing certain games with friends might be a challenge for him. The small things.”
‘Shiloh has made so much progress’
Myles went on to say how his son “doesn’t know any different”. He added the toddler is “figuring out how to do things in his own way”. He added: “Although the brain damage can’t be reversed we are doing everything possible to help strengthen the right side of his body. Shiloh has made so much progress. And we are so proud of him taking on challenges he doesn’t even know are there!”
Myles said: “Day by day we learn more and this is still very new but we are doing what we can.” He then said that he is sharing the news in an attempt to raise awareness “for any other first time parents who notice something a little different in their baby. As the sooner you can find out the better it will be in the long run.”
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‘Best friends’
Last week, Myles issued an update on Shiloh. He shared an adorable video where he asked if they were “best friends”.
“Yeah!” the little cutie told his dad.
Myles explained in the video that he had been learning a new skill, boxing, in the hope it would inspire his son to be whoever he wanted to be as he gets older.
Sadly for Myles, he lost the bout. He said afterwards: “It was a very weird experience. It was something I have never felt in my life before.”
Catch Myles on The Chase Celebrity Special Saturday (January 27) at 5pm.
Read more: X Factor star Levi Davis’ Instagram ‘activated’ months after disappearance
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