If you’re from the Old School, you’re pretty familiar with LeVar Burton. No matter which Old School era you come from, he was there- regardless of if you are most familiar with him from the powerful 70’s miniseries, Roots, or the 80’s era Reading Rainbow – you know him well. The thing you probably didn’t know about, is what happened when he found out that he had a son. It all started in 1980, when LeVar was at the height of his career.

The One Night Stand That Turned Into Lifetime Blessing

Long story short, LeVar Burton had a one-night stand with a woman he didn’t really know…no big deal right? Things happen and they were both consenting adults. The thing LeVar didn’t know was that he and the young lady had procreated during their one-night stand, and the result was the son you see in the above pic.

LeVar Burton’s son, Eian Ward Burton, was born in 1980, but apparently it wasn’t until three years later, in 1983, that he found out the child existed and what he did next is something I wish we could see more of.

What Burton Did After Finding Out About His ‘Son’

Instead of him denying the child, and forcing the mother of his son to have to take him to court, LeVar actually did what many men in that predicament unfortunately may not have done. He immediately took himself to court over this! Here are the details from the Washington Post:

Burton said he hadn’t even known of the child’s existence. But, according to his attorney, Gloria Allred, “after tests confirmed the child was, in fact, his, he decided to do everything possible to assume equal responsibility for his son.” He asked the Los Angeles Superior Court to grant him joint legal custody and visitation rights. He also volunteered to pay $600 a month child support[which was sufficient for that era]. “I grew up in a broken home, raised by my mother,” he explained. “I would like for (my son) to have the benefits of both parents.”

Now, if this doesn’t deserve respect I don’t know what does! So many times, women are the ones who are left with a child to raise on their own, with no father figure in the home. Typically I’d say a man should not get a pat on the back for being a father to his child and doing what he is supposed to do anyway, but in this case I’ve gotta tip my hat to LeVar. He had no clue that one night of adult fun had produced a child, but as soon as the paternity test proved the baby was his, he immediately stepped up to the plate.

See Where Their Relationship Lies Today…

LeVar and his son have been closer than close ever since they met in 1983, that’s evident from the pics below.

We just wanted to share this with you because this is one of those stories that proves it’s never too late to step up. Fellas (or ladies) if you have a child you have not seen in years, don’t let the fear, nor pain of what your child might make you feel –as a result of your absence from their lives– deter you from taking that next step toward making amends with your seed. It’s a beautiful thing to spend the rest of your days attempting to genuinely right your wrongs. It’s never too late family.

Here’s an Old School fun fact about LeVar Burton:
At the age of 13, LeVar entered a seminary to become a priest! It didn’t last though…he ended up dropping out of the seminary at the age of 17, because he started questioning some of the teachings he was receiving.