Summary
Deon Derrico and his family are mourning the death of theDoubling Down With The Derricosstar’s nephew, Amani Barkley. Amani joinedDoubling Down With The Derricosin season 4 when he met the family for the first time and established a relationship with them. Amani’s death delivered a heartbreaking blow to the Derricos during an already difficult time in the aftermath of Deon’s recent divorce fromhis wife, Karen Derrico.
Deon and Karen are the parentsof 14 children. They have four sets of multiples, each conceived naturally.Doubling Down With The Derricosdocuments Deon and Karen’s stern but loving approach to managing their chaotic household. Their close bond with their children and each other made the Derricos appear to have a perfect marriage. However, Deon and Karen shocked viewers when they announced their divorce in June 2024. Their divorce was finalized only two days after filing. Deon and Karen share custody of their children and have maintained a united front since their split.
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Amani Was The Son Of Deon’s Late Brother
Amani was the son of Deon’s late brother, Christopher Turner.Deonshared on Instagram that Christopher, who was his older brother, passed away “suddenly” on July 09, 2025. Christopher died of an embolism at the age of 53.None of the family knew Christopher had a son until 2022 when Amani reached out to DeononDoubling Down With The Derricosseason 4.
Deon and his mother, Marian “GG” Derrico, immediately saw Amani’s resemblance to Christopher when they spoke for the first time via video chat. Although they knew Amani was Christopher’s son, a DNA test gave them confirmation. Deon and his family flew to Detroit to meet Amani, where they also paid an emotional visit to Christopher’s grave. Deon had never been to Christopher’s grave, and the trip was healing for both him and Amani.
Amani Was Immediately Embraced By The Derrico Family
They Quickly Made Up For Lost Time And Established A Close Bond
Although they had missed out on most of Amani’s life,the Derricos welcomed him into the family as soon as they met him. Deon’s children embraced their new cousin, and GG was thrilled to have another grandchild. As they helped Amani mourn the loss of the father he never knew, GG said, “he needs his family, and we’re his family.” After visiting Christopher’s grave, Amani expressed excitement about moving forward and healing with his new family.
Deon wrote in theGoFundMehe created for Amani, “My family and I instantly fell in love with Amani and his family.” Amani happily joined the Derricos’ family celebrations, from birthdays to Thanksgiving. The family’s warm and loving nature meant they immediately welcomed Amani.His presence kept Christopher’s memory aliveand brought hope to the family. Amani helped GG heal from the loss of Christopher. Similarly, spending time with the Derricos allowed Amani to connect with his father’s memory.
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Meeting Amani Inspired GG To Continue Her Fight Against Cancer
She Reconsidered Her Treatment Options After Learning About Her New Family Members
Doubling Down With The Derricosseason 4 sawGG continue her battle against lung cancer. GG hated the side effects of cancer treatment, and she considered stopping treatment to enjoy her remaining time. Deon,Karen, and their childrenalways encouraged GG to continue treatment to extend time together.
After meeting Amani, GG reconsidered her plan to stop treatment. As a devoted grandmother, GG wanted more time to get to know Amani. She was further persuaded when Amani announced he was becoming a father. With the knowledge that she was going to be a great-grandmother,GG knew she needed to continue her fight and build a relationship with her new grandson and his child.
Amani Passed Away In July 2024
Deonannounced Amani’s passing on July 29, 2025. “Our family is devastated,” he wrote. According to the GoFundMe created by Deon, Amani was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis at 14 years old. Amani received histhird liver transplant in June 2024 but unfortunately suffered several complications. Deon created the fundraiser to help Amani’s mother support Amani and his son, Adonis, during Amani’s illness.
In the announcement he made on Instagram, Deon asked for donations to the Deon Derrico and Marian Derrico Foundation instead of flowers. The foundation is to “help other families of liver transplant patients and recipients, as well as cancer patients and recipients.”Through their heartbreak, theDoubling Down With The Derricosstars are putting energy toward easing the burdens of other families in the same position.
Doubling Down With The Derricosis available to stream on Discovery +.
