- 23 year-old Xen Martin was diagnosed with autism some few months before he turned two, however with the love and support of his parents, Tisha Campbell and Duane Martin, he has been able to conquer his fears and achieve his dreams against all odds.
- His parents are both famous actors and have worked on several projects including raising awareness for children with autism.
- Xen loves science and would love to become animal conservation in the future. Even though his parents are divorced, Xen and his only brother Ezekiel share a strong bond with their mother Tisha.
Xen Martin is the son of the American actors, Tisha Campbell Martin and Duane Martin. At, eighteen months, Xen was diagnosed with autism. His parents revealed that even though he was non-verbal at that time, he was never placed in a special needs class because they wanted him to model after typical kids.
However, he is now a typical 23 year-old and he is not autistic anymore. He has been described as a strong-willed person by his mother who celebrated him when he got into the college he has always wanted to attend to pursue his dreams of becoming a zoologist.
Xen Martin Was Diagnosed With Autism Before His Second Birthday
On August 8, 2009, Tisha Campbell and her ex-husband welcomed their first son Xen Whaheed Martin. The couple did not realize he had autism until he was already 18 months old. The doctors told the former couple that their son Xen would never talk or do anything on his own.
The diagnosis came before Xen’s birthday and during that time his parents especially his mother was reportedly in denial of her son’s diagnosis but with the love and support of his family, the actress’ son was able to overcome certain things as he grows. His mother was so committed to making him better that she reportedly retrained her brain in other to embrace the reality.
His parents had the support of other parents whose children also lived with autism in other to help Xen. In other to help develop his body awareness, the latter was engaged in exercises such as bear crawls, medicine ball slams, mirror exercises, and other computer exercises as well.
For someone who was told he won’t be able to talk, Tisha’s son reportedly got an A in public speaking. In 2020, his parents shared their joy on Instagram after he graduated from high school.
Despite the barriers that the developmental disorder can create, the 23 year-old was already working two jobs before he graduated high school. This was because he wanted to be financially independent. Not only has Xen thrived in his academic pursuits, but he also has a YouTube channel where he shares videos with his over 300k subscribers.
Xen Martins is not the only child of the former couple, Tisha and Duane. His younger brother, Ezekiel Czar Martin was born on September 8, 2009, and he is currently 15 years old.
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His Mother Revealed She Suspected Something Was Wrong With Xen After He Was Born
According to Tisha Campbell, vaccinations may have played a big role in the rise of autism. She argued that even though she is not anti-vaccination, she is pro-vaccination safely. The actress stated that after her son was born, immediately he was given the Hepatitis B shot, she noticed something different, and even though she reported it, it was discarded because she was a “new mom“.
Xen Martins’s Mother Co-Founded Colored My Mind
Tisha Campbell was inspired by her friend’s advocacy for autism to create a non-profit organization called Colored My Mind. The organization is aimed at bringing awareness to autism. She also released a documentary, Colored My Mind which emulated her family’s life with autism. IT also featured actors Blair Underwood and Nicole Ari Parker who have had similar experiences as well.
Tisha’s documentary won the best film documentary at the American Pavilion in Cannes, France. Also, the actress was encouraged to speak to Congress in 2011. Together with the Grammy Award winner, Chaka Khan, Tisha went to Congress to reauthorize the bill passed in one day but rewrote the language of the bill stating that research, education, and money should apply to all children regardless of demographics and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Xen Martin’s Parents Are Both Actors
Despite his condition, his parents were able to balance raising him with their respective careers. Xen’s mother Tisha started appearing on the television when she was just six. According to reports, she also won many talent shows as a child.
The actress has been featured in several TV series and movies. Some of them are The Protector (2011), My Wife and Kids (2001-2005), School Daze (1988), Another 48 Hrs(1990), Boomerang (1992) among many others.
Tisha has also pursued a career as a singer. She released her debut album which sold about 40,000 copies in 1992. She was also featured in music videos between 1990 and 2000.
On the other hand, Xen Martin’s father Duane began his career in entertainment after he retired from playing basketball player even though he never really play in the NBA. He has featured in several films like White Men Can’t Jump(1992), The Inkwell (1994), Above the Rim (1994), The New Edition Story (2017)
Xen’s father has received BET Comedy Awards, Daytime Emmy Award, and NAACP Image Award nominations. His mother has received two awards and several nominations for her role in the comedy series, My Wife and Kids.
After successfully raising their autistic son, Tisha filed for divorce in February 2018. By the Xen Martin was 17, his parents finalized their divorce in December 2020.
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