You’ve seen the name pop up. Usually next to a headline about Khloé Kardashian or a grainy paparazzi shot in Hidden Hills. People often search for "Amari Kardashian," assuming he’s a new cousin or a secret sibling in the world’s most famous reality TV dynasty.
But here’s the thing: Amari isn't actually a Kardashian by blood or even by last name.
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Amari Thompson is the younger brother of NBA player Tristan Thompson. If you're wondering why he’s so deeply embedded in the Kardashian fold, the answer is a mix of tragedy, surprising loyalty, and a level of caretaking that has redefined what "family" means for this group.
Who is Amari Thompson, really?
Amari was born in July 2006 to Andrea Thompson and Trevor Thompson. He is the youngest of four brothers. While Tristan was out winning NBA championships and navigating a very public, very messy relationship with Khloé, Amari was living in Canada with his mother.
Amari lives with a severe, debilitating form of epilepsy known as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS).
LGS isn't your typical seizure disorder. It’s rare. It’s aggressive. It causes multiple types of seizures every single day. Because of this, Amari is non-verbal, uses a wheelchair, and requires 24/7 medical supervision. For most of his life, his mom, Andrea, was his world. She did everything.
Then, in January 2023, everything shattered. Andrea passed away suddenly from a heart attack.
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Why the "Kardashian" label stuck
The reason people keep calling him Amari Kardashian—besides the obvious SEO confusion—is that Khloé Kardashian has effectively become his primary guardian and caretaker.
It’s an objectively wild situation. Think about it. Tristan Thompson is famous for, well, not being the most faithful partner. Yet, when his mother died and his home in LA was under renovation due to extreme weather damage, Khloé didn't just open her doors to her ex. She opened them to Amari.
"Amari deserves my love and care, regardless of where me and Tristan stand," Khloé said on her podcast, Khloé in Wonder Land.
Honestly, it’s one of those rare moments where the reality TV artifice drops. She isn't doing this for a plot point—or if she is, it’s a massive, life-altering commitment just for a show. Tristan is frequently on the road for the NBA. Amari’s condition makes frequent air travel dangerous. So, he stays with Khloé. He’s part of the daily routine with True and Tatum.
The Legal Side of Things
Tristan was granted legal guardianship of Amari in early 2024. The court docs are pretty bleak; they basically state that their father, Trevor, hasn't been in the picture for a decade and hasn't paid child support. Tristan is the only one with the resources to provide the level of care Amari needs, which costs a fortune in medical staff and equipment.
Life with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome
To understand Amari’s day-to-day, you have to understand LGS. It’s a "drop seizure" condition. One minute he’s fine, the next his muscles go limp or stiffen violently.
In a 2025 episode of The Kardashians, we saw Amari’s 18th birthday party. It was emotional. It was also controversial. Some fans felt it was "exploitative" to have him on camera when he can't give consent. Others saw it as a massive win for disability visibility.
Kim Kardashian actually got some heat for asking her daughter, Chicago, if she was "scared" of Amari. It felt tone-deaf to some, but it highlighted a reality for many families: kids don't always know how to react to severe disabilities. Khloé’s stance is that her kids should be around him. She wants True and Tatum to grow up with compassion, seeing that Amari is just as much a part of the family as anyone else.
What most people get wrong
The biggest misconception is that this is a temporary "favor."
It’s been years now. Amari has his own room, his own full-time nurses (shoutout to Noelle and Elba, the caretakers Khloé often mentions), and a permanent spot at the Sunday dinners.
- He’s not a Kardashian: He’s a Thompson.
- He isn’t "sick" in a way that gets better: LGS is a lifelong neurological battle.
- The motive: Critics say Khloé is using Amari to stay close to Tristan. Supporters say she’s honoring a promise to Andrea Thompson. The truth? Probably a messy mix of both, but at the end of the day, a vulnerable young man has a stable, high-quality home.
The Actionable Takeaway
Amari’s story is a reminder that the families we choose—or the ones we get stuck with through our exes—can be more significant than the ones we're born into.
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If you want to support the cause that Tristan and Andrea started long ago, you can look into Epilepsy Toronto or the Amari Thompson Fund. They focus on helping families who don't have the Kardashian-level bank accounts to afford the 24/7 care LGS demands.
The next time you see a "Who is Amari Kardashian?" search result, remember he’s a young man fighting a quiet, incredibly tough battle every day, surrounded by a family that decided he was never a burden.