During a recent interview, Brian McKnight Jr. opened up about one of the most painful moments of his life: a devastating phone call he received from his brother, Niko McKnight, shortly before Niko’s death.

Earlier this year, Niko McKnight—estranged son of singer Brian McKnight—passed away at the age of 32 after a two-year battle with colon cancer. In a candid conversation with Marc Lamont Hill, Brian McKnight Jr. revealed that in Niko’s final days, he reached out to their father in hopes of finding comfort and closure. Unfortunately, the interaction unfolded in a way that left deep emotional scars.

Recalling the moment, McKnight Jr. described the call from his brother as one of the darkest memories he carries. Niko, overwhelmed by illness and facing his mortality, contacted Brian Jr. in tears, admitting that his brother had been right all along about discouraging him from calling their father.

“One of the coldest and most heartbreaking memories of my life is the day my brother calls me sobbing—while staring death in the face—to tell me that I was right,” McKnight Jr. said, as seen in a clip shared by The Shade Room. “I told him not to call our father because I already knew how it would end.”

According to McKnight Jr., he tried to protect Niko from further emotional pain, explaining that their father was no longer emotionally present in their lives. “I told him, ‘Dad is gone,’” he said. “All my brother wanted—everything he needed in that moment—was for our father to simply tell him that he loved him.”

Instead, Niko reportedly received a response that only deepened his heartbreak. “My father said to my brother, ‘I can’t arbitrarily say that I love you,’” McKnight Jr. recalled. He questioned how someone who spoke of wanting to help could deny such a basic expression of love during such a critical moment.

While Niko was unable to receive the emotional support he hoped for from his father, he was surrounded by love from his mother, Julie McKnight. Following her son’s passing, she shared a deeply moving tribute on social media, honoring both his character and the impact he had on those around him.

“He is the purest, sweetest human we’ve been blessed to have,” she wrote. “A loving husband, a caring and playful uncle, the other half to his brother, and a fierce protector of his two sisters. He was a loyal friend to many, a talented photographer, and a gifted musician. He is a son I was blessed with and will forever be proud of.”

Julie concluded her tribute by emphasizing the legacy Niko leaves behind—one rooted in kindness, generosity, laughter, and strength. “That’s my boy,” she wrote. “And I couldn’t be prouder.”

Niko McKnight’s passing has sparked widespread discussion about family estrangement, emotional accountability, and the importance of compassion—especially during life’s most vulnerable moments. His story continues to resonate deeply with many who see reflections of their own experiences in his final days.