Marlon Wayans' "world crumbled" amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 53-year-old movie star "lost 62 people", including his mom and dad, during the global health crisis, which began in 2020, while his daughter also transitioned to become a man.
The Hollywood star told Variety: "My world crumbled.
"I lost 62 people that I loved, including my mother and my father. I had friends and people that are very special to me — some OD’d with fentanyl; others died of brain aneurysms, strokes.
"Sixty people that I loved died, and then my mother and my father died. And then my child transitioned from my daughter to my son. And this was all happening at once."
Marlon learned an important life lesson through his own heartbreak.
He said: "I finally understood what my father meant: Sometimes you need faith to bring you through the darkness."
Marlon took "a week to go from denial to acceptance" of his son’s transition. But that experience also taught him another important life lesson.
The actor shared: "It taught me true, unconditional love.
"I’ve never been married because I was never ready for marriage. And I went through this journey with my child, and it taught me to love unconditionally.
"At the end of the day, are my children happy? And if they’re happy, then I’m happy for them. My job as a father is to protect, respect and honour my children, and make sure they feel supported. It’s not my job to judge them; it’s my job to love them."
Marlon observed that "transphobia is a form of hate" and he's described online trolls as "small-hearted, small-minded people".
The film star - who has enjoyed huge success with the Scary Movie franchise - said: "All of my kids are gifts, and our love is the wrapping paper. I’m not here for hate.
"Transphobia is a form of hate. Homophobia is a form of hate. Racism is a form of hate. All those small-hearted, small-minded people, there’s a hell for you. And if you think you’re gonna bully my child, go somewhere else. It’s not going to happen. I won’t stand for it."
