As a documentary chronicling everything from the titular athlete’s rise in the NBA to his fall owing to drug abuse, Netflix’s ‘Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom’ is a very personal expose. That’s because the former star himself opens up about his addiction issues, family history, and recovery process in the hopes of not only holding himself more accountable but also maybe inspiring others. Thus, there is a significant focus on his parents, especially as it has never been a secret that his father was also a drug addict who was never really a consistent part of his life.
Lamar Odom Lost His Mother at an Early Age and Never Really Knew His Father While Growing Up
Although Cathy Mercer and Joe Odom had tied the knot in a big, beautiful wedding in their hometown of Queens, New York City, sometime around the mid-to-late 1970s, things soon changed between them. They happily welcomed Lamar Joseph Odom into this world on November 6, 1979, but they separated shortly after because she did not want their son to grow up around his heroin addiction. “My father was a… He gave into, you know, into drugs,” the now former basketball player candidly said in the aforementioned original. “That’s why my mother left him. He didn’t want to stop.”
According to Lamar, he would usually see his father once a month at best while he was growing up, only for Joe to come through the doors, ask for money, and then leave again. His mother was thus his rock at every step of the way, yet even that sense of stability was snatched away from him when he was merely 10 years old, as she died of colon cancer after a brief battle. As per the documentary, Cathy was diagnosed after she complained of a bad stomachache while returning from a vacation in the Poconos in January 1990, and she sadly passed away on July 6 that same year.
Lamar Odom’s Father Allegedly Wanted to Take Him Off Life Support During His 2015 Ordeal
Lamar was subsequently raised by his maternal grandmother, Mildred Mercer, who supported him as he established himself as an athlete in high school before turning pro at age 20. His father wasn’t really around much during those years, but they reconnected later and established a rather amicable bond. However, Khloé Kardashian has since claimed that Joe tried to act selfishly when her then-estranged husband was fighting for his life in 2015. According to the reality star in the production, he wanted to immediately take his son off life support because he likely believed he was the sole beneficiary of his estate/life insurance policies.
However, since Khloé and Lamar’s divorce had not yet been finalized, she was able to quickly shut down Joe’s alleged attempts to pull the plug. She said, “I assume he thought he’s now the beneficiary to Lamar. Joe just said, ‘Don’t put him on life support. Turn those machines off.’ And I remember walking in during that time, and I kid you not, it was a scene out of a movie. And I’m like, ‘Sorry Joe, I’m still his wife, what do you need?’” The reality star then added that his father asked her for $100, a pair of Nike shoes, and a hotel room for the night, following which he left and never came back to see his son or help in his recovery. Yet, Joe later claimed Khloé blocked him from seeing his son.
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Joe Odom Passed Away in 2021
While Lamar and Joe had a rather difficult relationship by all accounts, they seemed to make significant amends by the early 2020s as they both tried to lead drug-free lives. After all, when the former announced his father’s death on Instagram on April 20, 2021, he asserted that the “most important and formative relationships” he has now are with his family. In a since-deleted post, he penned, “These eyes have seen the best of life and the worst in mankind. This heart has overflowed with love and been as cold as ice. These tears have been from joy and pain, as I embark on burying my father, I ask that you extend good energy and kindness towards my family and myself.”
Then, in another since-deleted post in early May 2021, Lamar thanked his fans for all their love, prayers, and well-wishes during this time of bereavement before adding, “Life is not promised. My pops and I had our differences, but at the end of the day, I knew he loved me, and I loved him, and that’s really all that matters… I encourage you to take some time and make amends with family and friends, tell someone you love them, smile a little more, laugh out loud, give your heart to those that deserve it, because NOTHING is promised but death. That’s it.”
