Lamar Odom has opened up about his struggle to deal with the death of a teenage boy following a collision with his chauffeur-driven SUV last month.The basketball player and husband of reality TV star Khloe Kardashian says he thought he was 'breaking down mentally' and admits he may need to see a psychologist to help him process what happened.
The tragedy came just a day after the 31-year-old attended the funeral of his 24-year-old cousin, who had been shot.
'Death always seem to be around me,' Odom, 31, told the Los Angeles Times.
Odom was in the back of a chauffeur-driven car while on his way to Queens where he grew up.
That's when the vehicle hit a motorcycle, which then hit and killed 15-year-old Awsaf Alvi Islam, who was riding a bike.
Odom says the car he was in was making a left turn when: 'I hear a "ka-boom".' He says that a man doing 'wheelies had jumped in front of us.'
He goes on to say: 'When he [the motorcyclist] slid, I thought it was two people on the bike.
'But what actually happened is that the guy that hit us, as the motorcycle was sliding, he ran into someone else.
'And when I saw him run into someone else, I heard another 'ka-boom'.
'I looked at the person that was hit by the motorcycle and I kind of knew that this kid received death'.
'I'm sitting in the car looking him right in the face. I'm like: "I think he's gone".'
Odom then reveals that he called Kardashian, 27. He says: 'The first thing I did was call my wife and I told her we got into an accident.
'I said: "This kid is dead".
'I think just because I had seen death with my cousin, I was like: "Oh, I can't believe I'm seeing this two days in a row".'
Unfortunately death is something that Odom is familiar with. His mother Cathy Mercer died of colon cancer when he was 12.
Seven years ago the grandmother who raised him, Mildred Mercer, died.
Then in 2006 his seven-month-old son Jayden from a previous relationship was the victim of cot death.
Odom says: 'Death always seems to be around me. I've been burying people for a long time.
'When I had to bury my child, I probably didn't start grieving until a year and a half later.
'I think the effects of seeing [my cousin] die and then watching this kid die, it beat me down. I consider myself a little weak.
'I thought I was breaking down mentally. I'm doing a lot of reflecting.'
Odom also reveals that he didn't eat for 'eight or nine days' after the tragedies. He also admits: 'I may need to see a psychologist.'
But Odom - who had to arrange his cousin's funeral - says that in the meantime he relies on Kardashian, whom he describes as being 'a very strong wife.'
He remembers the service, saying: 'I was leaning over the casket and I was talking to my cousin.
'I was telling him that I wish the first words from Khloe to him was "hi" and not "bye". It's tough when someone gets murdered.
'Then it's what it has done to me emotionally and physically. It's someone that you love.'
Odom, who is a father to two more children, says: 'I've had to tell myself that I will get through this.
'And I will. I have to.'
The tragedy came just a day after the 31-year-old attended the funeral of his 24-year-old cousin, who had been shot.
Support: LA Lakers star Lamar Odom revealed he turned to his wife Khloe Kardashian for comfort after a series of recent tragedies
Odom was in the back of a chauffeur-driven car while on his way to Queens where he grew up.
That's when the vehicle hit a motorcycle, which then hit and killed 15-year-old Awsaf Alvi Islam, who was riding a bike.
Odom says the car he was in was making a left turn when: 'I hear a "ka-boom".' He says that a man doing 'wheelies had jumped in front of us.'
Tragedy: Awsaf Islam was killed in a collision with a chauffeur driven car carrying Lamar Odom last month
'But what actually happened is that the guy that hit us, as the motorcycle was sliding, he ran into someone else.
'And when I saw him run into someone else, I heard another 'ka-boom'.
'I looked at the person that was hit by the motorcycle and I kind of knew that this kid received death'.
'I'm sitting in the car looking him right in the face. I'm like: "I think he's gone".'
Odom then reveals that he called Kardashian, 27. He says: 'The first thing I did was call my wife and I told her we got into an accident.
'I said: "This kid is dead".
Unfortunately death is something that Odom is familiar with. His mother Cathy Mercer died of colon cancer when he was 12.
Seven years ago the grandmother who raised him, Mildred Mercer, died.
Then in 2006 his seven-month-old son Jayden from a previous relationship was the victim of cot death.
Odom says: 'Death always seems to be around me. I've been burying people for a long time.
'When I had to bury my child, I probably didn't start grieving until a year and a half later.
'I think the effects of seeing [my cousin] die and then watching this kid die, it beat me down. I consider myself a little weak.
'I thought I was breaking down mentally. I'm doing a lot of reflecting.'
Odom also reveals that he didn't eat for 'eight or nine days' after the tragedies. He also admits: 'I may need to see a psychologist.'
But Odom - who had to arrange his cousin's funeral - says that in the meantime he relies on Kardashian, whom he describes as being 'a very strong wife.'
He remembers the service, saying: 'I was leaning over the casket and I was talking to my cousin.
'I was telling him that I wish the first words from Khloe to him was "hi" and not "bye". It's tough when someone gets murdered.
'Then it's what it has done to me emotionally and physically. It's someone that you love.'
Odom, who is a father to two more children, says: 'I've had to tell myself that I will get through this.
'And I will. I have to.'
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