‘Real Housewives’ All-Star Gives Hopeful Update After Son Rejects Heart Transplant: ‘He’s Walking & Talking’

“Real Housewives” favorite Nene Leakes gave a rare update yesterday on the condition of her youngest son, Brentt, who has struggled with health issues since experiencing congestive heart failure and a stroke almost three years ago.

In October 2022, NBC reported Leakes, who was a main cast member on “RHOA” from 2008 to 2014 and again from 2017 to 2020, had spoken on Instagram about the then-23-year-old’s ailments. At the time, Leakes called her son’s condition “very scary” and said he was struggling to speak. She also said doctors hadn’t found the root cause of Brentt’s symptoms, but an undetected COVID-19 infection was being considered as the possible culprit.

Now, Leakes has revealed that Brentt has spent all of this summer in the hospital. On the July 7, 2025 episode of her costar Cynthia Bailey’s “Humble Brag” podcast, Leakes said Brentt started in rough condition but has now “turned a curve.” Read on for the details.

Nene Leakes Said Son Brentt Has ‘Turned a Curve’ In Hospital

“My son’s in the hospital,” the “Glamma” of four told her longtime friend Cynthia Bailey, citing his stay as the reason she declined an appearance on “Traitors.” The media personality continued, “My son’s been in the hospital since early May. He’s been in there almost two months.”

When Bailey asked how Brentt is doing, Leakes said, “He’s doing a lot better. He has little while longer to be there, but he’s turned a curve.” Leakes then caught fans up on why Brentt is in the hospital, saying his “heart was weak and never got back strong” after his 2022 heart attack. She went on, “He needed a heart transplant. What’s happening now is his heart started rejecting, so they are now trying to stop the rejection.” She added, “He’s really young. It’s a lot.”

Nene Leakes Explained Why She Doesn’t Talk Much About Son Brentt’s Health

The day after the podcast appearance, the grandmother of four took to her Instagram Stories to tell fans why she typically stays mum about what Brentt is going through.

“Thank you to my village that have supported me thru it all. I have been thru A LOT that most don’t see or even know about,” she wrote, before saying, “Okay so, I did an interview a few weeks ago with Cynthia Bailey. I think they aired the video yesterday, and so many people are asking me to comment. People are talking about why I didn’t do traitors, which is Brentt, my son, has been sick.”

She went on to say she likes being “an open book” in interviews, but she “tried everything” to not reveal or say too much. “We like to stay private about Brentt’s health. I feel like Brentt’s health journey is his to tell, and not necessarily mine.” She added that she likes to “respect Brentt’s privacy, and speak when he wants me to speak.”

The TV star, who has a 34-year-old son, Bryson, in addition to Brent, also thanked fans for reaching out, before promising to give more updates tomorrow, July 9, on “The Nene Leakes Show.”