While The Voice fans can see Usher all smiles and upbeat on the show each week, the singer says that he’s been having a tough time recently, and a big reason for that is because one of his sons was diagnosed with diabetes.

When speaking with NBC’s Today, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, Usher briefly spoke about his personal struggles. He didn’t specify which son has the disease between Usher Raymond V, 6, and Naviyd, 5, but he did say that his son has type I.

“This year has been really one of my hardest years – I lost my grandmother, my son was diagnosed as being a type one diabetic. It has definitely been a difficult one for me, man", usher said.

To be clear, type I diabetes is when your body’s immune system attacks your insulin-producing cells. It’s considered “uncommon.” This is far different from type 2, a very common form of diabetes, where insulin in your body isn’t being used properly, or there isn’t enough insulin, therefore allowing glucose to build up in the blood and affect the body’s cells.

Those diagnosed with type I can still live healthy, and many do so daily with the help of insulin injections, meal planning, insulin therapy and more.

Usher is doing everything possible to make sure his son will live healthy and happy. He said in the “Today” interview that even while he works on-set of The Voice, he tries to make time to read up on his son’s dietary requirements.

He said “Sometimes you’re looking at me and we’re off camera, and I’m online looking at numbers, trying to make sure he’s eating properly. It’s crazy.”

source: NBC