Shutterstock; Tarek El Moussa/Instagram
Flip or Flop’s Christina Haack, Tarek El Moussa’s Son Brayden, 6, Undergoes Emergency Appendectomy
Scary situation. Former Flip or Flop stars Christina Haack and Tarek El Moussa’s son, Brayden, underwent an emergency appendectomy and removal of his Meckel’s diverticulum on Sunday, May 8.
“Scary 12 hours for us parents [and] stepparents,” Christina, 38, wrote via Instagram about the 6-year-old’s ordeal after she brought him to the emergency room. “Nothing like seeing your child in excruciating pain … Luckily, the surgery went well, and he is recovering and in good spirits.”
The Christina on the Coast star praised the “amazing” staff at Mission Hospital and was staying positive after Brayden’s successful surgery. “Blessed to have three healthy [and] happy kids, caring family and friends and a husband who stands by my side,” the California native continued, adding, “Happy Mother’s Day, everyone.”
Tarek, 40, shared his own message about the family’s “interesting 24 hours” after his son was “extremely sick.”
“He’s such a strong boy, and of course, he told me he’s very excited to eat real food tomorrow. He’s obsessed with food just like his daddy,” the Flipping 101 star wrote via Instagram. “Very scary day but we all banned together as a family to get through it. Thank you to the amazing doctors and nurses who took such incredible care of our boy.”
Meckel’s diverticulum, which Tarek noted was a “rare” congenital condition, is a bulge in the lower part of the small intestine that forms from the leftover umbilical cord, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It can be repaired with surgery.
Not only is Brayden loved by his parents, but he’s also close with his stepparents — Tarek’s wife, Heather Rae Young, and Christina’s husband, Joshua Hall.
Heather, 34, acknowledged via Instagram it was the “scariest day” of her life, but she was “thankful it was caught early.”
“Times like these, we ban together as a family,” the Selling Sunset star wrote. “It’s been a very emotional day, but he is doing well and recovering.”
In addition to Brayden, Christina and Tarek, who were married from 2009 to 2018, share daughter Taylor, 11. The Christina: Stronger By Design star also has a 2-year-old son named Hudson from her previous marriage to Ant Anstead, which ended in 2021 after less than three years.
Although Christina and Ant, 43, have shared custody over Hudson, the U.K. native filed for full custody of the toddler in April 2022, Life & Style confirmed. The Wheeler Dealers cohost alleged that his ex-wife isn’t regularly present in Hudson’s life.
On the heels of his allegations, Christina defended herself in a statement obtained by Life & Style.
“What Ant is doing deeply saddens me,” the Wellness Remodel author said on April 28. “If this was really about Hudson, as he says, this should have been handled privately with a private judge or mediation, as myself and my attorney have suggested. I have had my share of ups and downs, but I am a good mom and I love my children with all my heart and I will always protect them.”
A California Superior Court judge in Orange County denied Ant’s ex parte application for full custody, Life & Style confirmed. Following the judge’s ruling, a new hearing has been set for June 28 of this year.
