By now, most of New Edition’s fans have seen their BET biopic, The New Edition Story, and learned that Ralph Tresvant has a younger brother. In case you didn’t catch that part of the biopic, in the first episode of the 3-part miniseries, ‘kid-Ralph’ and his N.E. brothers were trying to find a fifth member. ‘Kid-Ralph’ told their then-manager, Maurice Starr, they couldn’t possibly pick his little brother because he’d “just learned to walk a year ago.” Well, fast forward to today and we’ve found Ralph’s baby bro.’
The Tresvant brothers seem to be really close, and now, they’ve shared stories about their family, their beloved Mother, and their days coming up in Boston, MA.
Meet Ralph Tresvant’s Brother
Introducing Andre Tresvant. He’s 45-years-old and has nothing but love and admiration for his 54-year-old brother, Ralph Tresvant.
In the video below, the Tresvant brothers reminisced and laughed about how Andre was bad as hell as a child; and how their mom, Patricia Tresvant, had to repeatedly go to school for him. Andre also recalled how their Momma once pulled up on the school playground angered, rockin’ her house robe and slippers, after Andre came home and told her one of his teachers had just called him a “ni&&er.” They both agreed that Mama Tresvant was NO joke when it came to protecting her babies.
WATCH RALPH & ANDRE TRESVANT REMINISCE
Andre Tresvant Reveals Extreme Hardships After Their Mother Sadly Passed Away
Sadly, Ralph’s and Andre’s beloved mother, Patricia Tresvant, passed away and Andre revealed a few upsetting things that happened to him afterwards, which the world didn’t know. If you saw The New Edition Story, you probably recall the “Home Again” album photoshoot scene, when Mike Bivins and Ronnie Devoe were feeling bad for Ralph after he’d lost his mother. She passed away just before all six of the N.E. members were preparing for their 1996 “Home Again” album release/tour.
Andre said he was just 16 years old when he and Ralph’s Mom died and that he’d been living in California when they moved there when he was age 7 (after they’d moved there from Boston, MA). According to Andre, his world was turned upside down when his mother, Patricia, died- he was left alone in Cali. to fend for himself at just 16 years old. He says he had no family there to help him, they were mostly still living in their hometown of Boston.
WHY WAS RALPH TRESVANT’S BROTHER ON HIS OWN AT 16?
At that time, Ralph had a ton of weight on his shoulders. He had to fulfill his contractual obligations on the road, so he couldn’t be there with Andre. He also needed the money (as a result of their jacked up N.E. contract), and he had three small children to feed with his then-wife, Shelly, whom he was going through a nasty divorce with. FYI: Shelly was apparently referred to as “Zena” in the N.E. biopic.
WHERE WAS HIS DAD?
Andre revealed that he’d “never got to shake my dad’s hand” because he never met him- a reality that became even more real when he had to instantly learn how to survive as a man at only 16. He eventually got a one bedroom apartment at 16 years old and it was there that he leaned on his religious beliefs for guidance:
Andre Tresvant: “I just knew on the inside that God could fill that void and make up for who I lost…so one day I began to go on a 3 day fast and seek God for the HolySpirt fullness, I did this in my 1 bedroom apt., cut off the phone,closed the blinds and began to pray like never before & study the word of God.”
THE GOOD NEWS
The good news is that after the extreme hardships and heartbreak, Andre Tresvant made it through and although Ralph couldn’t physically be there for him when they were both grieving their mother’s death, he was always there in spirit and just a phone call away if Andre ever needed him.
