Brian McKnight's estranged son Niko dead at 32
Brian McKnight's estranged son Niko McKnight has died, just two years after he was diagnosed with cancer. He was 32.
The news was shared by Niko's uncle, Claude McKnight, in a video posted to TikTok.
"I'm not going off the script or anything like that. I'm just gonna be raw with how I'm feeling," he said.
"Niko was one of those amazing kids who was quirky and curious and ridiculously talented.
"Amazing singer, an amazing guitar player, had a great eye as a photographer. He was one of those kids that, at least in my estimation, was somebody you always wanted to be around. And so it really sucks that he's no longer with us."
Claude continued, "I wanted to post this about Niko, about his legacy, about how amazing he is - and not about what some of you may have heard about, you know, the family drama that has existed for quite some time in our family."
Brian shared Niko with his ex-wife, Julie McKnight. They also had sons Brian Jr and Clyde, and daughter Briana
The Back at One singer has yet to break his silence on Niko's death, although the pair had reportedly been estranged for a number of years.
Three months after Niko revealed his cancer diagnosis in January 2024, Brian referred to his four older children as a "product of sin" in a video shared to Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Medscape
16 minutes ago
- Medscape
ADA Issues New MASLD Guidelines
A new consensus report from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) provides a practice-oriented framework for screening and managing metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in people with diabetes and prediabetes. Published online on May 28, 2025, in Diabetes Care, the report is a comprehensive update to the recommendations the ADA released in 2023. It is intended for clinicians treating patients with diabetes — primarily type 2 diabetes (T2D) — but also type 1 diabetes with obesity and prediabetes. Topics covered include the rationale for the recent change in terminology, epidemiology, fibrosis risk stratification, monitoring, treatment, and referral guidance, with interprofessional team management emphasized throughout. 'This will provide primary care doctors and anyone taking care of people with diabetes the tools to diagnose [MASLD] early and guide therapy…to prevent cirrhosis, and refer to the hepatologist as needed for additional therapy and monitoring,' lead author Kenneth Cusi, MD, professor of medicine at the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism in the Department of Medicine at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, told Medscape Medical News . The guidelines recommend that clinicians routinely screen people with T2D or prediabetes for MASLD. 'We explain that the liver should be incorporated into our management in the same way we do for chronic kidney disease, eye disease, and nerve disease as an end-organ damage that is particularly affected by diabetes,' Cusi said. In the United States, at least 70% of people with T2D have MASLD, about half of whom have the more progressive form termed metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH). About 1 in 5 with T2D have advanced liver fibrosis. The presence of MASH increases the risks for complications including cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and overall mortality, according to the new consensus report. Liver disease has not been a focus of diabetes management until recently, Cusi noted. 'We didn't think about it. The epidemic of obesity, and with that, of diabetes, is driving this liver disease. The obesity epidemic has had a big worsening since the 1990s, so this damage in the past 20 or 30 years is just now becoming evident in the liver.' Terminology Change: Highlighting Insulin Resistance, Reducing Stigma The document reviews the current nomenclature for SLD, which was officially changed in 2023 to remove the words 'fatty' and 'alcoholic.' Now, MASLD is defined as the presence of SLD with at least one metabolic risk factor such as obesity, hypertension, prediabetes, high triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or T2D, with minimal or no alcohol consumption (< 20 g/d for women; < 30 g/d for men). The term 'MetALD' is used for those with MASLD who also have increased alcohol consumption (20-50 g/d for women; 30-60 g/day for men). Steatosis in the setting of alcohol consumption above those levels is termed 'alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD).' The term MASH is defined as steatohepatitis with at least one metabolic risk factor and minimal alcohol consumption. 'At-risk MASH' refers to steatohepatitis with clinically significant fibrosis (stage F2 or higher). Diagnosis: Staged Screening for Fibrosis The document recommends routine screening of people with T2D, prediabetes, and/or obesity with cardiovascular risk factors, with the goal of identifying those with high-risk MASH. Intervention is then aimed at preventing fibrosis progression and cirrhosis. A graphic diagnostic algorithm advises initial use of the noninvasive Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) tool, which risk stratifies based on age, liver enzymes, and platelet count. 'The FIB-4 is composed of very simple things that are already in the electronic medical record of all patients. We also discuss the role of electronic medical records to improve implementation,' Cusi said. Those with a FIB-4 < 1.3 have a low risk for future cirrhosis and can be managed in primary or team care with optimized lifestyle and repeated FIB-4 every 1-2 years. If the FIB-4 is > 2.67, direct referral to a liver specialist is advised. If FIB-4 is between 1.3 and 2.67, a second risk-stratification test is recommended. Ideally, this would be a liver stiffness measurement (LSM), most commonly with transient elastography. If that is unavailable, an alternative is the noninvasive enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) test. If the LSM is < 8.0 kPa or ELF is < 7.7, the fibrosis risk is low and routine management can continue with repeat testing in 1-2 years. But if higher, hepatology referral is recommended. Treatment: Lifestyle, Plus Old and New Drugs The report details lifestyle modification for MASLD, including nutrition plans; physical activity; behavioral health; and the role of diabetes self-management, education and support. The role of obesity treatment in people with MASLD, both metabolic surgery and pharmacotherapy, is also discussed at length. No current pharmacologic treatments have been approved for MASLD, but both semaglutide and tirzepatide have demonstrated benefit in treating MASH and are approved for treating T2D, obesity, and other related comorbidities. A thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist, resmetirom, was approved in early 2024 for the treatment of MASH with fibrosis stages F2 and F3, but is extremely expensive at about $50,000 a year, Cusi noted. An older, generic glucose-lowering drug, pioglitazone, has also shown benefit in reducing fibrosis and may be a lower-cost alternative. The document also includes a section on alcohol intake, which complicates the MASLD picture, Cusi noted. 'We think that this is going to help doctors to consider alcohol, which is often overlooked and under-reported. If patients have moderate fibrosis, they should completely quit alcohol.' Cusi has received research support (to his institution) from Boehringer Ingelheim, Echosens, Inventiva, Labcorp, and Perspectum, and has served as a consultant for Aligos Therapeutics, Arrowhead, AstraZeneca, 89bio, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Novo Nordisk, ProSciento, Sagimet Biosciences, Siemens USA, Zealand Pharma, and Terns Pharmaceuticals.
New York Times
20 minutes ago
- New York Times
A bulked-up Odafe Oweh enters pivotal season for Ravens with big goals
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The disappointment of the Ravens again falling short of their ultimate goal lingered. But there was another thought outside linebacker Odafe Oweh couldn't shake as he tried to digest Baltimore's 27-25 divisional-round playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills in January. He should have done more. He needed to do more. Advertisement The Ravens had just one shared sack of Josh Allen. Worse yet, for a team that prides itself on winning up front, the Ravens allowed the Bills to rush for 147 yards and three touchdowns. In a quiet end to the best season of his young career, Oweh finished the game with just one tackle, a first-quarter stop of Ty Johnson eight yards downfield. 'We didn't have the outing — at least, I didn't have the outing I wanted, so I thought a lot of that had to do with my weight and being able to be stout in certain positions,' Oweh said after the Ravens' second organized team activity last week. 'As soon as the season was done, I went to Miami, started eating, lifting and then gaining weight.' The results were noticeable. Oweh reported to OTAs at a bulked-up 265 pounds, 20 over his playing weight from last year. It was all part of the 26-year-old's plan to add more of a power element to his pass-rush repertoire that has relied heavily on speed and explosiveness. Much is riding on the plan. The Ravens need the 2021 first-round pick to take another step forward and become a weekly difference-maker on a defense that can't afford to repeat last year's slow start or tepid finish in Buffalo. Oweh is entering a contract year coming off a career-high 10-sack regular season. He believes there's another level he can get to that would put him among the NFL's elite edge rushers. If that happens in 2025, Oweh can pretty much name his price as a pending free agent ascending toward the prime of his career. 'I'm just trying to be the best player for the team,' Oweh said. 'I would be crazy to say (contract status) is not something a little bit in the back of my mind, but every year, I try to get better, try to be better than I was last year. To be honest, that's really what I'm focused on. I know if I do that, it's going to take care of itself.' Advertisement The Ravens appear to be open to extending Oweh, but there's been no indication the two sides have created any traction toward a long-term deal. In a way, Baltimore protected itself if Oweh departs next March by using a second-round pick on Marshall outside linebacker Mike Green, who was viewed as one of the best pure pass rushers in the draft but fell because of character concerns. Like Oweh, veteran outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy and 2022 second-round pick David Ojabo are also entering contract years. However, the Ravens will still have Green, 2023 fourth-round pick Tavius Robinson and 2024 third-round pick Adisa Isaac under contract beyond the upcoming season. Extending Oweh would provide stability for a young, homegrown position group that's annually been an offseason focus and keep a key defensive piece in the fold. Yet, the salary cap-challenged Ravens can't keep everyone, and Oweh is an interesting case. He totaled just eight sacks in 2022 and 2023, struggled to finish plays and battled consistency issues. After being one of only 17 players in the NFL last year to finish with double-digit sacks, will Oweh continue to evolve as a pass rusher and build off the 2024 breakout? Or do the Ravens believe last season represented Oweh's ceiling, or pretty close to it, as a player? Ravens coach John Harbaugh certainly liked what he saw last week. 'I'm just really happy with Odafe right now, in terms of what he's done in the last three months,' Harbaugh said. 'He looks good. He's put on 12 or 15 pounds of muscle. He's worked really hard. He's just very determined to be really great.' Ravens officials have seen the movie before. It stars a homegrown pass rusher who has a monster contract year and ultimately prices himself out of a Baltimore return. Paul Kruger did it in 2012, registering nine sacks for the Super Bowl champs after getting just 6 1/2 over his first three seasons. He earned a five-year, $40.5 million contract from the Cleveland Browns. Advertisement Pernell McPhee did it in 2014 with a career-high 7 1/2 sacks — he totaled 9 1/2 over his first three NFL seasons — and parlayed that into a five-year, $40 million pact with the Chicago Bears. Za'Darius Smith's 8 1/2 sacks in 2018, three more than his previous career high, led to a four-year, $66.5 million contract with the Green Bay Packers. With a double-digit sack season already on his resume and a reputation as a solid edge setter, Oweh already figures to be coveted on the free-agent market if he gets there. However, improving on last year's output will likely make him one of the top 2026 free agents. 'He's definitely humble and soft spoken, but he's moving with a chip on his shoulder right now,' said Lance Deane, a pro trainer who specializes in pass rushers and recently started working with Oweh. 'He wants to be considered an elite guy. I think he feels like he belongs. That's the legacy he's looking to chase, to be in that elite conversation. He thinks he's an elite talent, and he wants to show that to the world.' Deane has worked with Oweh's former Penn State teammate, Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons, and the Nittany Lions' most recent first-round pass rusher, Abdul Carter. In Oweh, he sees all the qualities of a dynamic NFL edge rusher. 'If he was a quarterback, he'd be considered a dual threat — the physicality and athleticism combined,' Deane said. 'That makes him a scary opponent for a lot of guys. His ability to win physically, but athletically as well. There's guys in this league that possess one of those and other guys that possess the other. There are not too many guys that are able to possess both at a high level. He has the potential to be that caliber of player.' That vision is essentially what Oweh had in mind when he headed south shortly after the conclusion of the Ravens' 2024 season. Down in Miami, he ate and worked out and repeated that pattern over and over again. 'It actually wasn't good food,' Oweh said. 'It was a lot of nasty meal prep — dry chicken, Brussels sprouts, asparagus. It did the job.' Advertisement The goal was to get bigger and stronger while not losing the speed, explosiveness and athleticism that made him a first-round draft pick in the first place. That's a delicate balance that all NFL players must navigate. Oweh, who has a lot at stake this year, understands that. He also knows there will be second-guessing if he comes out and looks sluggish and lacks the explosiveness off the edge. However, he's long believed that he needs to add more diversity to his game. To him, the playoff loss in Buffalo reaffirmed that point. 'I'm kind of power-savvy, too, with my rush, so I could build off that more,' Oweh said. 'Then, like I said, when I try to dip and bring the rip up, I'll be more solid and stout in that. 'I was always trying to keep my speed, but my speed hasn't diminished. That was always something that was looming in my mind. I guess it's the way you train to keep the muscle, and then obviously, when you're building muscles, be able to make sure you can be mobile with it.' Oweh acknowledged the level of contact allowed in OTAs hasn't necessarily provided the best proving ground for his new physique, but he still feels quick, and he's as big and strong as he's ever been. Deane said the first sign that players have sacrificed quickness to add bulk is body stiffness, and he hasn't noticed that from Oweh, who incorporated a lot of 'twitch-type' exercises in his workout regimen and still focused on explosive movements. Harbaugh can see a scenario where a bulked-up Oweh becomes a more 'direct rusher,' meaning he won't always need to rely on beating an offensive tackle with his speed off the edge. He'll have the ability to use his power and bull rush to go through offensive tackles and take a more direct route to the quarterback. 'My goal for him is to be All-Pro,' Harbaugh said. 'Go be the best, be the best in the business. That's tough, because there's a lot of good players playing his position, but that's the way he sees himself. Let's go for it.'
Travel Weekly
25 minutes ago
- Travel Weekly
Hilton and Ford partner to transform Michigan Central Station into the NoMad Detroit
Hilton has unveiled plans to open a NoMad hotel inside Detroit's Michigan Central Station. The luxury hotel will be developed through a partnership with Ford Motor Company, which acquired Michigan Central Station in 2018. The hotel will be part of The Station at Michigan Central, a former passenger rail terminal that's being redeveloped into a district that will have retail, public parks, outdoor plazas and 1.2 million square feet of commercial space across multiple restored historic buildings. According to Hilton, the project will involve a "careful renovation" of the station. Detroit's passenger rail service ended in 1988. The largely vacant building fell into disrepair before being acquired by Ford. Hilton acquired NoMad last year and plans to rapidly grow the NoMad brand. In addition to the NoMad Detroit, Hilton said it has 15-plus deals in various stages of development globally. Those plans include the 173-room NoMad Singapore, which is expected to open in 2027. The new NoMad properties will join the flag's one hotel, the NoMad London, which opened in 2021. Hilton has accelerated the addition luxury and lifestyle hotels. The company expects to add three luxury and lifestyle hotels per week through 2025; more than 150 openings are planned worldwide this year. Hilton has approximately 1,000 luxury and lifestyle hotels globally across several brands, including Curio Collection, Tapestry Collection, Waldorf Astoria, LXR, Conrad, Graduate, Canopy, Signia, Motto and Tempo.
