Holly Robinson Peete remembers the day that she received devastating news of her son Rodney Jr.’s diagnosis like it was yesterday. The actress and her husband, Rodney Peete Sr., tell Oprah about their experience.
“I knew when he was 2 that there was something up,” Holly says. “We went to these long meetings with this doctor and she just … told us that he had classic autism. We had a moment of severe sadness.”
While devastated the Peetes did a number of things to “cure” their son. “We thought we could love it away,” shares Holly. “Listen, I had witch doctors and Mormons coming to the house. I mean, I did everything. We had people come pray, lay their hands on him!”
At the end of the day, Holly and Rod realized that love coupled with access to resources was key in their son’s battle with autism. “It’s about access to resources and therapies,” the actress shares. “We were blessed to have that.”
Holly and Rodney Peete are the proud parents of four children. Rodney Jr. and his sister, Ryan, are the couples oldest kids.
