TLC Star Deon Derrico Updates Fans on Nephew Amani's Health Following Induced Coma
Deon said Amani had "two liver transplants within two weeks" in an Instagram update on his nephew's condition.
Jul. 5 2024, Updated 2:34 p.m. ET
TLC star Deon Derrico shared with fans how his nephew, Amani is doing after recently asking fans to send their prayers.
The Doubling Down With the Derricos star introduced fans to Amani, who Deon had only discovered existed after his brother (and Amani's father) Chris Derrico died.
In July 2024, Deon announced on his social media accounts that Amani, who has been open about his health struggles on the show, faced a life-changing procedure. Since then, he's shared how Amani is doing now.
Deon Derrico provided a health update regarding his nephew, Amani.
Fans wondered why Amani was missing during the latest Doubling Down With the Derricos season. Deon recently took to his Instagram account to share with his supporters that Amani had undergone grueling surgery, giving some insight into Amani's health.
The patriarch shared on his platform that Amani had "two liver transplants within two weeks" that left him in an "induced coma" at the end of June 2024. In his caption, he wrote that his family still needed his supporters' prayers, but that Amani was set to go home.
"Thank you to everyone that has prayed for my nephew Amani!" Deon wrote in his update. "As you can see he has been through it, having two liver transplants within two weeks, and being placed in an induced coma up until a couple of days ago! PLEASE KEEP THE PRAYERS COMING, Lord knows how bad we need them / He needs your prayers!! We are all lost without GOD!!!
"We are truly grateful that my nephew Amani is doing much better and he’ll hopefully be released from the hospital within the next two weeks."
Although things seemed to be going well for Amani in the hours after his second surgery, he experienced complications and was advised he would need yet another transplant.
Deon Derrico and Karen launched a GoFundMe to help with Amani's medical expenses.
Despite Deon's optimism about his nephew's health, Amani underwent a third liver transplant nearly two weeks after his second. In the GoFundMe description, Deon explained that Amani's liver began to "deteriorate, causing him to immediately be placed back on the donors list for another liver, only a week after the second liver transplant."
While Amani successfully underwent his third liver transplant around June 15, 2024, Deon mentioned that it has put a lot of stress on his body, leading to "other health challenges." He also revealed that Amani was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis at just 14 years old, which prompted the first liver transplant.
Deon and Karen launched the GoFundMe in hopes of raising $17,000 to help with medical expenses and other costs that have arisen due to Amani having to stop working and his mother taking a leave of absence to focus on his health. As of July 5, 2024, the family has raised over $10,000.
The family's recent scare comes after Deon and his wife, Karen Carter-Derrico, announced their divorce.