A Father of 34 Children Confronts His Painful Past

Jay, a 44-year-old man who has fathered 34 children with 17 different women, says his personal struggles began long before he became a dad. When Jay was a boy, his parents, Wes and Stacey, divorced after several years in a dysfunctional relationship. Throughout his childhood, Jay went back and forth between his parents' homes, primarily living with his father. Then, when Wes had problems with his then-wife, he left town—and left his son behind.

By the time he was 15, Jay says, he felt abandoned by his parents and got involved with gangs. Iyanla believes that Jay must acknowledge the damage done by his mother and father before he can repair the relationships with his own children.

"Tell me what the hell was going on that a 15-year-old boy was loose in the street making decisions about where he was going to live," Iyanla says to Wes. "Because that is not his failing! That is your failing!"

As this father-son conversation gets heated, Iyanla resorts to extreme measures to get Jay's attention. Watch now.

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