BD Wong Had 2 Children & Lost One at Birth – His Son Came Out at 15

BD Wong's children had a difficult start to life after being born with a medical condition that saw one son's loss and the "gift" of the other. BD Wong's surviving son followed in his father's theater footsteps, and his acceptance of his sexuality inspired one of his father's books.

In 2000, BD and his former partner, Richie Jackson, became parents for the first time when a surrogate was inseminated with BD's sperm and Richie's sister's egg.

Over Memorial weekend, their surrogate went into labor, and BD and Richie were the proud fathers to their twin sons, Boaz Dov Wong and Jackson Foo Wong.

BD Wong's Children Suffered from a Heartbreaking Twin Condition

BD's sons suffered from twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, which left one of his children dependent on the other for blood from the placenta, as only one receives it directly. His son, Boaz, was the dependent twin and was born first on May 28, 2000. His brother, Jackson, followed 15 minutes later.

Boaz Dov, whose name was chosen to carry the BD initial passed down from his grandfather, Bill D, died less than two hours after his birth. However, his parents had little time to grieve as his brother, who weighed 2 pounds when he was born, was fighting for his life.

After he was rushed to Intensive Care, Jackson remained in the hospital for three months, and his father lived in a motel before moving in with his parents in San Franciso during that time.

After he was born, Jackson was nicknamed "The chestnut man" due to his resemblance to the wise-looking old men who sold chestnuts on the streets of New York.

During his son's hospital stay, BD would keep his friends posted with touching and humous emails, including one about the anticipation of Jackson's first poop.

BD Wong's Surviving Son Became a Gift after the Death of His Twin

Jackson survived his twin brother despite facing health problems as a baby. Although his father did not want to share too much about Jackson's state when he was born, BD shared that he had "no complains" about how Jackson was doing. When BD was asked how the loss of Boaz had affected him, he responded:

"Every once in a while, I'll call Richie and say, 'I'm having a Boaz moment.' That means I'm daydreaming, thinking about 'what if.' It's not that painful; it's more wistful, more curious about the possibilities. But Jackson is here because of what Boaz did for him. I will always be grateful to Boaz for that gift."

BD and Richie raised Jackson in a two-father household, and although it was unconventional for the time, the broadway actor said living in New York made it feel a little more normal. "No one cared," he explained when discussing what registering Jackson for preschool was like.

The Loss of a Baby Took a Toll on Their Family

After 18 years together, BD and Richie went their separate ways due to what BD called "the collateral damage" of losing a child. Although the couple lived in different homes, they were "forever marked" by their shared experience of losing a child.

During the week, Jackson lived in uptown New York with Richie and his new partner, Jordan. And on the weekends, he visited his father in downtown New York. And although BD and his ex-partner found a routine for their blended family, he said:

"...I felt the dissapintment and shame that my son was the fruit of a broken home. I felt a sens of being broken and robbing him of a full family experience."

However, Jackson and BD were able to have new experiences. On Saturdays, BD would invite his theatre friends, which included Cindy Cheung, the director of the one-woman show "Speak Up Connie" and composer Wayne Baker, who would hang out with Jackson while his father made dinner in the kitchen.

Jackson had an R160 subway car-shaped bed and would give his dad's friends a ride. BD would hear screaming from his son's room, and sometimes Jackson would offer his dad's friends snacks.

"Jackson has bonded with these people in a huge way," BD said. "...They aren't tolerating him; they are a part of the show." Their Saturday nights also included musical productions filled with piano playing and singing in the comfort of their home.

Jackson Foo Wong Is Now Grown after Embracing His Sexuality at a Young Age

When Jackson was 15, he came out as gay to his accepting father and his partner. He followed in Richie's footsteps and attended New York University, but he had a vastly different experience as a member of the LGBTQ+ community compared to his parents.

While Jackson said being gay in 2019 was "not a big deal," his coming out story inspired Richie's manifesto, "Gay Like Me," which guided the younger generation of the LGBTQ+ community. In his book, Jackson's father writes:

"It is critical that I tell you everything I know -- of everything that I have learned, of every rise and of every depression, of so much that I have kept to myself so that you would feel safe. All of that I have to tell you now."

Jackson now leads a private life and also has his Instagram set on private, with over two hundred followers at the time of writing. However, he occasionally appears on BD's Instagram, who appeared in "Law & Order: SVU" with Kelli Giddish, John Stamos, and Viola Davis.

Following the start of Richie and Jordan's relationship in 2012, Jackson became a big brother when his father welcomed another son, Levi.