Marlon Wayans has experienced profound loss.

The comedian candidly shared his feelings regarding the death of his parents, who passed away three years apart, during his recent Netflix special titled “Good Grief,” which debuted in June. In a podcast episode of “The Schools of Greatness,” he revealed his choice to include a poignant moment where he cried on stage while mourning his mother, Elvira Alethia, who died in 2020.

As he delighted audiences with humorous anecdotes about his parents, the weight of their absence unexpectedly struck him: “I was trying to avoid my own pain.”

“The realization that my parents are no longer with us overwhelmed me. It had hit me before, but I didn’t expect it to affect me during a performance,” he explained. “But then it did, and I thought about cutting it out, but I decided to leave it in. I want people to see that I’m hurting just like everyone else.”

Elvira passed away on July 23, 2020, at the age of 81, followed by Howell Stouten Wayans, the family patriarch, who died at the age of 86 on April 1, 2023. The reasons for their deaths were not made public.

The Wayans family includes ten children, among them comedians Damon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans, and the youngest, Marlon.

“Marlon shared that his mother’s passing left him “broken” and led to struggles with depression, but he found solace in his comedy.”I saved myself through laughter,” he noted.

“Life continues, and we still seek joy,” he remarked. “I receive numerous messages about ‘Good Grief’ on Amazon Prime, sharing how it impacted them and aided their healing. Many have also lost their parents, we’re in this together.

“People have expressed gratitude for my comedy helping them to cope with their own sadness, as I shared my journey to healing,” he stated. “That’s truly therapeutic.”

Wayans went on to share that his upcoming special will delve into his personal growth in light of his son coming out as transgender.

In November, during an appearance on “The Breakfast Club” radio show, he revealed that his eldest child is transgender and prefers they/them pronouns. “My daughter transitioned to my son,” he said. “My daughter Amai is now Kai.”

In the podcast, Wayans reflected on going through the five stages of grief regarding his son’s transition. “At first, I resisted. I thought, ‘No, you can’t do that,'” he recalled. “But now, I’m proud to say it took me only a week to accept it. Sadly, many might take a lifetime and never reach this beautiful stage called acceptance.”

Contributing: Naledi Ushe