Lamar Odom's kids detail decision to skip his wedding to Khloé Kardashian: 'I never even met her'

In the fast-paced world of celebrity relationships, few stories moved as quickly or as publicly as the 2009 union between NBA star Lamar Odom and reality TV icon Khloé Kardashian. While the world watched the whirlwind romance unfold on "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," a much quieter and more painful story was developing behind the scenes. Years later, Lamar Odom's children, Destiny and Lamar Jr., are opening up about the traumatic experience of their father's sudden marriage—a wedding they famously skipped because, as Destiny poignantly put it, she had never even met the bride.

The 2009 wedding was a pop culture phenomenon. After only 30 days of dating—and just nine days after announcing their engagement—Lamar and Khloé tied the knot in a lavish, televised ceremony. But for Destiny and Lamar Jr., the children from Lamar's long-term relationship with Liza Morales, the event wasn't a celebration. It was a confusing and alienating moment that changed their family dynamic forever.

The Whirlwind Romance That Caught the World—and His Children—by Surprise

To understand why Lamar Odom's children chose to skip the wedding, one must look at the timeline. In August 2009, Lamar met Khloé Kardashian at a party for his then-teammate Metta World Peace. The attraction was instantaneous. Within weeks, the Los Angeles Lakers forward was preparing to join the most famous family in reality television. For the public, it was a "lightning-in-a-bottle" romance. For Destiny and Lamar Jr., it was a shock to the system.

At the time of the wedding, Destiny was just 11 years old, and Lamar Jr. was 7. They were living in New York with their mother, Liza Morales. According to recent interviews and retrospective documentaries, the children learned about the engagement not through a heartfelt conversation with their father, but through the media and sudden, frantic phone calls.

• The Speed of the Engagement: The 9-day window between the announcement and the ceremony left no room for family introductions.
• The Distance: Living across the country made it difficult for the children to process the news in person.
• The Public Eye: Seeing their father with a new "family" on television before meeting them in private created a sense of displacement.

Destiny Odom has been particularly vocal about this period. She recalled the feeling of being an outsider in her father's new life. "I found out about the wedding through the news," she shared in a recent sit-down. The lack of communication from Lamar Sr. during this high-stakes transition laid the groundwork for years of resentment and distance.

"I Never Even Met Her": The Emotional Toll of the 2009 Wedding

The most striking revelation from Lamar's children is the fact that they were invited to a wedding for a woman they didn't know. Destiny's quote, "I never even met her," highlights the disconnect between the "perfect" Kardashian image and the reality of blended family dynamics. The decision to skip the wedding wasn't an act of malice; it was an act of self-preservation for two children who felt forgotten in the shuffle of fame and fast-paced romance.

Liza Morales, the mother of Lamar's children, has also spoken about the difficulty of that era. She had spent a decade with Lamar, weathering the highs of his NBA career and the lows of personal tragedy, including the loss of their infant son, Jayden, to SIDS in 2006. To see Lamar move on so publicly and so quickly was a blow to the entire family unit. The children's refusal to attend the wedding was a silent protest against the erasure of their previous life.

The "Khloé & Lamar" era brought even more challenges. When the couple launched their own spin-off series, Destiny and Lamar Jr. were occasionally featured, but the cameras often missed the underlying tension. Destiny describes feeling like a "prop" during certain filming sequences, struggling to reconcile her father's role as a TV husband with his role as a biological father who was increasingly absent.

Key factors that influenced their decision to stay away included:

• Loyalty to their Mother: The children felt a deep need to support Liza Morales during a public and painful transition.
• Lack of Familiarity: Attending a televised wedding for a stranger felt disingenuous and uncomfortable.
• The "Kardashian Circus": The intense media scrutiny surrounding the event was overwhelming for young children who were used to a more private life in New York.

Growing Up in the Kardashian Shadow: The Struggle for Destiny and Lamar Jr.

Following the wedding, the children had to navigate the complexities of having a Kardashian as a stepmother. While Khloé Kardashian has often spoken about her love for Lamar's children and her desire to be a part of their lives, the reality was fraught with obstacles. The children were growing up in New York while Lamar was living a high-profile life in Los Angeles, eventually spiraling into substance abuse issues that would strain all his relationships.

Destiny Odom has reflected on the "Kardashian effect" on her adolescence. Being associated with the family meant she was a target for paparazzi and social media commentary before she was even a teenager. "When they got married, everything changed. I went from being a normal kid to being 'Lamar Odom's daughter,' and people would ask me about Khloé all the time," she explained. This forced maturity created a barrier between her and her father.

The relationship was further tested during Lamar's highly publicized 2015 overdose at a Nevada brothel. It was during this crisis that the family finally came together in a hospital room. Ironically, it was one of the few times Destiny, Lamar Jr., and Khloé were in the same room for an extended period. While the crisis brought a temporary truce, the years of missed birthdays, skipped graduations, and the initial sting of the 2009 wedding remained.

For Lamar Jr., the experience was slightly different but equally impactful. As the younger child, he often followed his sister's lead, but he has expressed the same sense of confusion regarding his father's dual lives. The NBA star father he knew seemed to vanish into the "Lamar" the world saw on E! Network.

Healing and Boundaries: Looking Back at the Legacy of "Khloé & Lamar"

Today, the dust has settled on the Odom-Kardashian marriage, which officially ended in divorce in 2016. However, the lessons learned by Destiny and Lamar Jr. remain relevant. They have become advocates for children of celebrity parents, emphasizing the importance of boundaries and the need for parents to prioritize their children's emotional well-being over public optics.

Lamar Odom himself has expressed deep regret over how he handled the situation. In his memoir, "Darkness to Light," and subsequent interviews, he admitted that his addiction and the lure of fame blinded him to the needs of his children. "I was in a dark place, and I didn't realize how much I was hurting the people who actually loved me for me, not for the cameras," Odom shared.

Recent updates on the family suggest a path toward healing. Destiny and Lamar Jr. have worked on their relationship with their father, acknowledging his efforts to stay sober and be present in their adult lives. As for their relationship with Khloé Kardashian, it remains cordial but distant—a reflection of a bond that was never allowed to form naturally in the first place.

The story of the Odom children serves as a powerful reminder of the human cost of "trending" news. Behind every celebrity wedding, divorce, or scandal are real people—often children—trying to make sense of a world that moves faster than their hearts can keep up with. By detailing their decision to skip the wedding, Destiny and Lamar Jr. aren't just sharing celebrity gossip; they are reclaiming their narrative and reminding us all that family is built on time and trust, not just a 30-day romance and a televised ceremony.

• Lamar Odom: Former NBA Sixth Man of the Year, now focused on recovery and his Odom Wellness Centers.
• Destiny Odom: Pursuing a career in modeling and fashion, while advocating for mental health.
• Lamar Odom Jr.: Keeping a lower profile, focusing on his education and personal growth.
• Liza Morales: Continues to support her children and has appeared on "Basketball Wives" to share her side of the story.

In the end, the decision to skip the wedding wasn't about Khloé Kardashian as an individual; it was about the lack of respect for the existing family unit. As the Odom family continues to move forward, they do so with a clearer understanding of what truly matters: being present for one another when the cameras aren't rolling.

Lamar Odom's kids detail decision to skip his wedding to Khloé Kardashian: 'I never even met her'

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