Brian McKnight's Son Niko Addressed One Death Wish to His Father

The artist's son, who died earlier this year (2025), requested one last thing from his father despite the estranged relationship he and his siblings shared with their dad.

In a family saga soaked in sorrow and estrangement, a devastating new chapter has come to light — and it's more chilling than anyone could have imagined.

Recently, famous singer Brian McKnight Sr.'s son, Brian McKnight Jr., sat down for an interview with TV personality Marc Lamont Hill. During that discussion, Brian Jr. opened up about the final moments shared between his dad and his late brother, Niko McKnight. What he had to reveal is as shocking as it is heartbreaking.

A Family Torn Apart as Niko's Death Sends Shockwaves

News of Niko's tragic death at 32 sent ripples through the public, but the way it was announced quickly stirred backlash within the grieving family.

Niko, who had been quietly battling cancer for approximately two years, had his passing confirmed not by his immediate household but through a viral TikTok video posted by his uncle, Claude McKnight.

In the now-controversial clip, the "Take 6" founder emotionally shared that his nephew had passed away on May 29, 2025, calling Niko "ridiculously talented" and "one of those kids [...] you always wanted to be around." But while the post was filled with heartfelt words, its timing and delivery did not sit well with Niko's father, Brian.

Shortly after Claude's announcement, Brian took to Instagram to condemn the move, "A big big thanks to Claude McKnight's tasteless and self aggrandizing announcement on TikTok, that frankly was not his to make. In my opinion, he inserted himself and used [Cole 'Niko' McKnight]'s death as an opportunity, instead of letting him pass with respect and dignity [sic]."

"It has instead turned into a circus, a mockery of a life now lost, making this tragedy into a reality show type drama," Brian added, clearly frustrated by the loss of control over such an intimate moment.

The situation grew more delicate when Niko's mother, Julie McKnight, felt compelled to confirm the heartbreaking news on her own Instagram page later that same day. She asked for privacy and continued prayers as the family began navigating an "incredibly difficult time."

According to a source close to the family, Claude had not consulted anyone — not even Niko's wife, Carla — before making the announcement. The insider described Claude's actions as "out of order," only adding fuel to an already strained family dynamic.

He Was Never There: Father's Absence and a Private Memorial

Despite the noise surrounding Niko's death, one glaring truth lingered — Brian had been estranged from his son. A separate source revealed that the "Back at One" musician had not reached out to Niko while he was alive and failed to contact the family after his death.

Still, Brian painted a different picture publicly. He claimed that he, his wife Leilani Mendoza, and their children (including their son and Brian's stepchildren) returned to Maui to hold a private memorial in Niko's honor, recalling "all the good times."

According to Brian, the last conversation he had with Niko involved an offer of support — access to top-tier oncology specialists, private in-home care, and a full medical team standing by. He alleged that Julie declined the offer and obstructed further communication.

"To the self-proclaimed 'mama bear,' may God have mercy on your soul," he had written on Instagram, placing the blame squarely on Niko's mother for blocking reconciliation.

Regardless of the conflicting narratives, those closest to Niko — including his mother, his older brother Brian Jr., his wife, and a wide circle of extended family — remained by his side until the very end. Surrounded by love, he was honored privately by those who truly knew and cherished him.

A Dying Wish... Met with Cold Silence

Yet, in the background, unresolved tensions and a fractured family bond threatened to overshadow the life and legacy he left behind.

As the public processed the external drama surrounding Niko's death, a deeper, far more personal heartbreak was quietly unfolding behind closed doors. In his recent emotional interview with Marc, Brian Jr. peeled back the curtain on a moment that left him shattered — one that continues to haunt him to this day.

"One of the darkest and coldest and most disheartening memories of my life," he recalled, "is the day my brother [Niko] calls me sobbing — with all he's going through — looking death in the eye, to tell me I'm right about telling him not to call my father because I knew what was going to happen."

That call, filled with despair, came as Niko faced the inevitable. Despite the pain of their estrangement, he still reached out to his father with a simple, human plea — one last request.

"All my brother wanted, needed, asked for was my father to tell him he loves him," Brian Jr. shared, his voice weighed with grief.

But what followed was not the reconciliation Niko had hoped for. "My father responds to my brother, 'I can't arbitrarily say that I love you,'" Brian Jr. revealed, stunned by the coldness of the reply. "But this is the man that wanted [sic] to help him?" he added, questioning the sincerity of his father's previously stated efforts to support Niko through his illness.

Adding to the weight of the memory was Niko's mother, Julie, who sat beside her son during the interview. Her voice withered as she recalled standing just feet away during that fateful phone call, with Niko's wife present and the call on speaker.

"Yes, people heard the voicemail, but they have no idea that as a mom, standing in the room with my son on speaker with his wife, and hearing how belittling his father talk [sic] to him," she recounted.

Julie struggled to finish the thought, describing the way Brian began the conversation not with comfort, but with confrontation. "If the first comment out of his mouth was, 'I don't appreciate the way you're treating my new family' — who gives a damn, man?" she said.

The revelations from that interview cast a heavy shadow — not only over the already fractured relationship but over the memory of a dying son's final, unfulfilled wish: to feel loved by his father before he took his last breath.

'Product of Sin': Public Disownment and a Legacy of Hurt

Niko's final plea for love didn't emerge in a vacuum — it was shaped by years of distance and emotional estrangement between Brian and his oldest biological children. The rift, long simmering, erupted more publicly last year (2024) when the singer addressed the situation during a Q&A on Instagram.

In a moment that shocked many, Brian dubbed Brian Jr., Niko, Briana, and Clyde McKnight "the product of sin" and dismissed claims that he had turned his back on them.

"In order to live a life that you love, you have to get rid of the evil and the negativity — even if that evil and negativity is related [to you]," he said in defense of his disconnection, applauding a fan who supported his decision.

When another follower accused him of going "against God," Brian pushed back, "God wasn't talking about children that are the product of sin which [sic] these are [...] Take your inaccurate negativity off my page and try being happy."

The comments only fueled growing criticism from online viewers who had watched his relationship with his children unravel in the public eye. That backlash intensified in October 2024 when Brian announced he had legally changed his name to Brian Kainoa Makoa McKnight Sr. to match his and Leilani's son, Brian Kainoa Makoa Jr., despite already having a son named Brian Jr.

The move was widely seen as a symbolic erasure of his eldest child, prompting accusations of cruelty, narcissism, and emotional abandonment.

"I'm not ashamed of the name my ancestors had," Brian Jr. later responded. "We are witnessing an obscene level of self hate [sic]."

Though Brian has never offered a full explanation for the breakdown with his first family, he previously hinted at frustration with what he called "entitled" behavior. Still, he maintains that he was always present — financially and emotionally — even if his children chose not to follow his advice.

Today, however, he publicly embraces only his new family: wife Leilani, their toddler son, and her two children from a previous relationship.

And as the public weighs the pain behind the headlines, Niko's story — and his final unanswered wish — remains a powerful reminder of the silence that often lingers where love should have been.