Tristan Thompson has three brothers and a very close relationship with all of them. The professional basketball player, 32, has talked about being a father figure to his younger siblings over the years. “I’m like the big daddy with all of them,” he said in a 2016 interview. “I have to make sure I hold them accountable.”
Tristan is especially close with his 17-year-old brother Amari Thompson, who has epilepsy and requires constant support and help from others. The NBA star stepped up in a big way for Amari when he was granted temporary custody of his little brother after their mom Andrea died.
While Tristan’s made a lot of mistakes in his relationship with Khloé Kardashian, he’s never wavered from being an amazing big brother to Amari. Here’s everything you need to know about Amari, his condition, and his special bond with Tristan.
Who Is Amari Thompson?
Amari is the youngest of the four Thompson brothers. His late mom, Andrea, and his father, Trevor Thompson, welcomed him on July 27, 2006. Amari was raised by his mother Andrea until her untimely passing on January 6, 2023, at the age of 53. Amari does not have a relationship with his father. In addition to Tristan, Amari’s other brothers are Dishawn Thompson and Daniel Thompson.
Amari Thompson Has Epilepsy
Tristan’s brother has epilepsy, which is a brain disorder that causes recurring, unprovoked seizures. Amari, who is wheelchair-bound, cannot live on his own and needs around-the-clock help. Luckily, Tristan has always stepped up to support his brother. In 2014, the athlete founded The Amari Thompson Foundation to honor his sibling and others who are battling the health condition.
After starting the organization, Tristan and Andrea released a video, via YouTube, to express their reasoning for starting the foundation. Amari also appeared in the 2014 clip. “I began the Amari Thompson Foundation for epilepsy awareness on behalf of my brother. Watch the video for more info,” Tristan captioned the tweet of the clip in August 2014.
During the October 5 episode of The Kardashians, Khloé explained to Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian what was going on with Amari’s health. “I mean, it’s bad and good, just like that we didn’t have any answers really. Like, his MRIS and EEGs and EKGs are all the same,” Khloé said. She added, “He has the worst type of seizures you can have.”
The mom-of-two revealed that Amari is in a “scary place” right now “because once he hits age 20 is when it will be really bad if we can’t have any improvements.” At the time, Khloé and Tristan had decided to have a physical therapist come to the house to work with Amari.
Amari Thompson’s Relationship With Tristan Thompson
Tristan has been a great big brother and an even better father figure to Amari over the years. In March 2022, Tristan talked about how Amari — who has epilepsy — inspires him during an interview with NBC Sports.
“My younger brother fights each and every day,” he said at the time. “Most 16-year-olds can enjoy life and have the freedom and be able to experience things with their peers. It’s harder for him.” He went on to explain how Amari is a major motivator in his life. “He motives me. Why not keep working each day? There’s no reason for me not to get up and push to be not only a better basketball player but a better human being.”
In July 2023, Tristan took to Instagram to celebrate Amari’s birthday. He also remembered their late mother in his caption. “Happy birthday to my sweet baby brother Amari! I love you forever! We Miss you mommy,” he captioned the post, along with a red heart emoji. In the snapshot, Tristan and Amari posed together outside.
After Tristan and Amari’s mother died, Tristan filed legal documents in September 2023 to become his younger brother’s guardian. The docs revealed that their dad Trevor has been “absent” throughout Amari’s life. On September 20, Tristan was granted temporary guardianship of Amari, according to PEOPLE. The court reportedly declared that there was both “sufficient evidence” and “good cause” for Tristan to become Amari’s guardian for the time being.
Amari Thompson’s Relationship With Khloé Kardashian
Amari has so much love in his life from everyone, including his brother’s ex. Khloé threw Amari’s 17th birthday party at her house in July 2023. The reality star shared a tribute to Amari on his birthday, writing, “Someone is 17 today!!!! Happy birthday sweet sweet Amari!!! We are all so blessed to have been touched by an angel such as you. you are truly one of Gods greatest treasures.”
But Khloé did more for Amari than just host a party. After Andrea’s death, Khloé took in Tristan and Amari and let them live at her house at the beginning of 2023 after Tristan’s roof caved in from bad weather. She revealed this during the season 3 finale of The Kardashians.
“Amari is 16, and he is severely disabled,” the Good American co-founder said in a confessional on the Hulu show. “It’s just really sad because we don’t know what he knows or doesn’t know, cognitively,” she added. Khloé also noted that she would continue to support Tristan and his family despite him cheating on her multiple times.