When Howard Universityโ€™s latest freshman class hits campus this fall, R&B legend Toni Braxtonโ€™s 19-year-old son Diezel will be among them.

Diezel, who was diagnosed with autism as a very young child, is entering the prestigious HBCU as part of the Class of 2025, Essense reported.

โ€œItโ€™s been rewarding to see how heโ€™s grown, but I remember when I first found out. I remember blaming myself; I thought it was my fault,โ€ Braxton said in 2011, Essence reported. โ€œI wish I knew what triggered it. Still, often, as a mom, I blame myself. I didnโ€™t take my vitamins every day โ€ฆ maybe it was the medications I was on before I got pregnant.โ€

A few years later, she believed that he had been cured of the condition and said in 2016 that he was no longer showing symptoms of it and that โ€œI am one of the lucky parents. Early diagnosis changes everything,โ€ Essense reported.

This correspondent is a guest contributor to The Washington Informer.

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