NeNe Leakes revealed she turned down The Traitors because of her son’s hospitalization, and she shared how he’s doing. The star also addressed if she would return to Real Housewives of Atlanta as a ‘friend.’
Last year, NeNe’s son Brentt Leakes had a heart transplant after suffering a stroke and heart attack. Brentt shared that he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, and he’s recently been hospitalized again.
“I was asked to do Traitors. I was really excited about doing it, by the way,” said NeNe on the Humble Brag podcast. “I couldn’t do Traitors because my son’s in the hospital … My son’s been in the hospital since [early] May.”
“He’s doing a lot better; he’s turned a curve. He has a little while longer to be there,” she continued. “At 22, he had a stroke and a heart attack. And from the stroke, his heart was weak, and it never got back strong, so he needed a heart transplant. So he’s had a heart transplant since then and … now his heart’s started rejecting [it] and … they are now trying to stop the rejection.”
When asked if they knew what caused the stroke, NeNe explained that they could only assume. “[But] one of the things I was told was Brentt was starting to become diabetic, and from what I’m learning, diabetes triggers a lot of things,” she said. “I’m so glad I said no [to Traitors] … That was never going to work. Brentt was very sick … it was no way I could commit to it, and you had to go out of the country.”
“If Brentt had been in the place he’s in today … I would have [filmed],” she went on. “Now he’s walking, he’s talking.” NeNe also hinted that she may film The Traitors in a future season.
She was then asked if she’d consider returning to RHOA as a ‘friend.’
“I really kind of feel like I don’t know that I would be a friend,” she said. “I like the friend role. I like the capacity. I don’t have a problem with it at all.”
But NeNe suggested it’s hard to see herself as a ‘friend’ because she’s an original castmate. The star hinted, however, that she likes how a ‘friend’ doesn’t have to show her family or significant other or be “as committed” as the full-time stars. She recalled how, when she was a peach-holder, she was constantly thinking about the show.
Last October, Brentt opened up about his health struggles and getting a heart transplant.
“To begin with, let me say, ‘Thank you, God.’ This year was undoubtedly the craziest for me,” shared Brentt last year. “After several trips to the hospital and many doctors appointments, I finally heard the unexpected news that I was diagnosed with “congestive Heart Failure” On June 19 (Ish), 😞”
He continued, “In July of this year, I went into a 14 hour heart transplant surgery and now have a brand new heart in me. Now that I’m back (still in recovery) I’ve essentially had to relearn how to walk and communicate, but I’m even more fluent.”
