Rapper Fat Joe recently talked to Shannon Sharpe about the dramatic way he became a single dad of his firstborn son Joey, who has autism and Down syndrome.

This is tough but we appreciate the realness of it all … Joe recalled the difficult moment when doctors informed them of the diagnosis: “So, the doctor tells us, ‘I got bad news to tell you… [your son] has Down syndrome and it’s gonna be a big challenge.

As a guest on the Wednesday, Oct. 16 episode of the Club Shay Shay podcast hosted by Shannon Sharpe, the rapper, 54, claimed that his ex abandoned him and their son Joey, now 33, after their son was diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth.