‘Love & Marriage: D.C.’ Star Erana Tyler on Showing Viewers Life With Blind Son
Despite Real Housewives of Potomac alum Monique Samuels’ early exit from the OWN reality series Love & Marriage: D.C., Season 2 premiered on Jan. 21, and the cast is bringing the drama. A fan-favorite storyline centers on Jamie and Erana Tyler’s unique family dynamic. The parents of three’s youngest son is legally blind. In a recent interview, Erana opened up about sharing their world with viewers.
Erana Tyler says she took on most of the responsibility with her son Jayson’s disability
The Tylers’ son Jayson is blind. In season 1, the family allows cameras to see how they manage their life with an adult with a disability. Jayson yearns for more independence. At 21, he’s nearing the age where he will not be able to enter into the independent living program that he desires, but his parents have hesitations about him leaving home.
Erana and her husband argue about what’s best for Jayson. Furthermore, she complains that she took on the burden of doing much of the work related to helping Jayson have any form of independence as he was growing up. At the reunion special, viewers learn that Erana learned to read braille to assist Jayson, while her husband didn’t until much later.
By the season’s end, Jayson is accepted into the DORS program in their hometown of Maryland. Per the website, The Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) offers programs and services that help people with disabilities go to work. Jayson’s dream job is to work for Apple.
The proud mother shares exciting news about Jayson’s independence
Jayson has been working with the DORS program for several months now. And Erana says he’s thriving as a result. “Jayson is loving life. He came home for the holidays, and he was ready to go right back,” Erana told Pop Culture. Thanks to what he’s been learning while enrolled in DORS, he’s able to live life without the full assistance of his parents.
“Jayson has his own apartment, and he’s at a workshop right now under the DORS program where he’s learning things like independent living, and career training. Initially, it was hard for us as a family to adjust because we are so used to having him around. He had a 30-day restriction where he couldn’t come home for the first 30 days once he got there,” she explained.
Furthermore, Jayson has such an active social life that his parents have to beg him to spend time with the family “I’ll call him and say, ‘Jayson, you want to come home on the weekend?’ and he says no because he has plans,” she added. “He loves his independence. He’s cooking now. We miss him, but we’re happy about his progress. It’s what he always asked for.”
What else to expect in Season 2 of ‘Love & Marriage: D.C.’ from The Tylers
Erana is also a mother to two other adult children. She has a daughter, Britney, from a previous relationship – and also shared Little Jamie with her husband. Little Jamie and his father’s contentious father-son relationship was a huge part of the first season. Erana says they run into more conflict this season.
She’ll also have a major fallout with two of her co-stars. As seen in the super trailer, her friendship with Ashley Silva is tested, and she also struggles to reconcile with Winter Williams.
