'My Shayla!': Tyrese Celebrates Daughter's Prom Night
‘My Shaylaaaa!’: Tyrese Celebrates Daughter’s Prom Night And Opens Up About Becoming An ‘Empty Nester’
Tyrese Gibson’s firstborn daughter, Shayla Gibson, celebrated prom over the weekend, and now the 18-year-old is preparing for her next major milestone: heading off to college.
Source: Eric Charbonneau / Getty – LOS ANGELES – March 30, 2022: Shayla Somer Gibson (R), Tyrese Gibson and Soraya Lee Gibson (L) at the Screening of the Americas event for Columbia Pictures’ MORBIUS at Cinemark Playa Vista and XD.
Tyrese Gibson’s firstborn daughter, Shayla Gibson, celebrated prom over the weekend, and now the 18-year-old is preparing for her next major milestone: heading off to college on a full-ride scholarship. On May 17, the proud father took to Instagram to honor Shayla in an emotional tribute, years after his now-viral 2017 “My Shayla” video, which became embedded in internet culture during his highly publicized custody battle with ex-wife Norma Mitchell.
Videos shared online captured sweet behind-the-scenes moments from prom night, including Tyrese helping Shayla’s date straighten his tie and even adding a few last-minute sewing touches to his daughter’s dress before the big event.
“#MyShayla changed my life forever,” the actor and singer wrote in a lengthy caption.
“Walk in your audacity. Walk in your grace. Walk in your brilliance. Walk in your softness and your power at the same time. Never apologize for being the smartest person in the room. Intelligence, resilience, beauty and kindness can all exist in the same woman. That is your magic.”
The “Sweet Lady” singer went on to describe Shayla as the direct “heir to the Gibson legacy and empire” that he’s been busy “building brick by brick.”
He continued with an emotional reflection on fatherhood and perseverance, writing:
“If ‘putting it all on the line for your child’ was a person… it would be me. I stand here today as a survivor of family court, divorce, public judgment, private pain, reputation hits, sleepless nights and every test imaginable… but I never stopped showing up as a PRESENT father. Never. Because when you plant seeds in love and water them with consistency, prayer, sacrifice and faith… eventually you stand beside the fruit of that labor. And today? I’m standing next to mine.”
Tyrese revealed that he’s nervous yet “excited” to send Shayla off for college.
Then, early on May 18, Tyrese returned to Instagram with another heartfelt post, this time alongside Shayla while the two waited at the airport for a flight. In the caption, the entertainer opened up about officially becoming an “empty nester” as his daughter prepares to leave home following her graduation next week.
“Just put my house up for sale in LA I’m officially an empty nester…. Graduation is next week and life is going to be very very different from this moment forth….. I’m on edge and yet excited because the concept of leaving the nest and letting my first born fly I know she’s going to take God into every room she enters,” he wrote.
He continued:
“I also know that she wasn’t raised to believe most of what she hears, far from gullible and or stupid. She’s been in mansions, private chefs, Nanny’s, Security, housekeepers, drivers her whole life…. Her daddy has created a very high standard.”
Tyrese then made it clear that flashy lifestyles and luxury status symbols won’t easily impress his daughter.
“There is no such thing as an Iced out WATCH chain or pulling up in a Rolls-Royce that would make my daughter like you because of your car or what’s on your wrist,” he added. “Her daddy had all of that…. Her daddy is all of that. The only thing that will ever impress my baby girl is heart, integrity and a beautiful soul.”
He closed the message with encouragement for Shayla’s future, writing:
“Spread your wings #MyShayla and get out of here and show them all that daddy instilled in you…. Empire builder…. You will do great things…. You will be more powerful and impactful than your father ever was……. Her necklace represents her super powers….”
Tyrese opened up about his viral “My Shayla” video with Angie Martinez last month.
On April 29, Tyrese reflected on the now-infamous “My Shayla” video during an appearance on Angie Martinez’s IRL Podcast, revealing that he was experiencing withdrawal from psychiatric medication at the time, which heavily impacted his emotions and resulted in that painful, teary-eyed plea for his daughter in the emotional video. Thankfully, a judge ultimately awarded the singer 50/50 joint custody of Shayla in 2017, but the road to the verdict was rocky.
“I had never seen me like that. When I finally got in my regular headspace, I looked at the video and was like, ‘Oh sh*t. Wow,’” the Fast and Furious star admitted.
Still, Tyrese said that over time, he found comfort in seeing the once-painful moment evolve into something unexpectedly wholesome online.
“It’s the way girls are hugging each other, it’s the way people are greeting each other,” he shared. “God has a sense of humor.”
