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Keke Palmer found life "painful" until her son was born.
The 'Nope' actress' little boy Leodis turned one over the weekend and the 30-year-old star - who who obtained a domestic violence restraining order against former partner Darius Jackson in November and has requested sole legal and physical custody of their child - reflected on how he has given her a sense of purpose and "value".
Sharing a selection of photos and videos of Leodis, she wrote on Instagram on Sunday (25.02.24): “Leo Beo!! Happy Birthday son I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
“You came into my life today at 3:25pm, but I knew even before then that you were the strongest person I ever knew. There were so many moments during my pregnancy where your silent strength would give me peace. This is something you still do just with your mere existence!
“You make my life so worth living. If I’m being honest I have always teeter tottered with life. I have just always been so annoyed by it and the ups and the downs and it has always seemed so painful for trivial reasons.
"Things could be so simple and they’re not and that always gave me a bitter feeling.
"But since you my son, I have no confusion on why I am here! On my purpose or my value or why I should stay. I wanna stay for you. I want to be here to love and protect you and watch you be the good in this world!”
Keke pledged she would "die a thousand deaths" to protect her son and even when times are hard, she will "find joy" with the youngster.
She continued: “You are so special and so precious I would take a thousand bullets to the chest, run into a burning building, essentially I’d die a thousand deaths… or actually I’d LIVE, I’d live a million lives.
"Even with all the pain and suffering one has to experience here. I will do it over and over again, because I know that I’d be with YOU! I will live, I will smile, I will cry, I’ll be angry, I’ll have love and I’ll have pain, I will find JOY. I will do all the things.. for you.
"It’s so easy to say no, it’s so easy to say GOODBYE. But I say YES and I say HELLO to LIFE because of YOU! I’m so happy for my son. Thank you God. I love you so much buddy.”