Untangling Kimora Lee Simmons’ Expansive Blended Family

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Even when you’re living life in the fab lane, sometimes situations veer off course. 

Kimora Lee Simmons is moving forward with a divorce. Just two days before her husband, Tim Leissner—a former Goldman Sachs banker who admitted to stealing millions from the Malaysian government in 2018—started his two-year prison sentence in February, he finalized the paperwork to end their 12-year marriage.

According to court filings from April 20th, obtained by TopMob News, he is seeking shared custody of his 11-year-old son, Wolfe, and asking for financial support from the reality star Kimora Lee Simmons. He also wants the court to end any alimony payments to Lee Simmons. TopMob News has contacted Simmons’ representative for a response but has not yet received one.

But even without Leissner in her passenger seat, Lee Simmons still has plenty of ride or dies. 

Kimora Lee Simmons is a very protective mother to her five children: Wolfe, Ming (26), Aoki (23) with ex-husband Russell Simmons, Kenzo (16) with ex Djimon Hounsou, and sons Gary (16) and Jayden (19), who has been part of the family since fourth grade. She told TopMob News last December that she’s always there for them, no matter what they need or what problems they face.

They were happy to help, and quickly agreed to participate when the 50-year-old decided to return to television with TopMob’s Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane.

I’ve been following her work for a while now, and she recently shared a funny story about bringing her older daughters along on a shoot. While they were initially thrilled to come, she admitted she basically had to pay them to behave! They started asking for ridiculous things – a sports car, and a whole new ‘fancy’ work wardrobe – and honestly, she said they really took advantage of the situation. It ended up costing her more to do the production because of their demands. It’s a relatable story, and she’s so honest about the challenges of balancing work and family.

But it was money well spent, if you ask the ’90s runway fixture. 

She simply wanted the best for her children, hoping they would be happy and thrive.

And, yes, their life is fab. Keep reading for the lowdown on her squad. 

In Kimora Lee Simmons‘ house, she’s the mom, the dad, the president and the CFO.

Describing her family of seven, the model-turned-businesswoman playfully compared it to ‘The Brady Bunch,’ but added, ‘except without a husband,’ in a preview for her show, ‘Back in the Fab Lane’.

Kimora is a very protective mother to her five children: daughters Ming and Aoki, whom she shares with ex-husband Russell Simmons; son Kenzo with ex Djimon Hounsou; son Wolfe with estranged husband Tim Leissner; and son Gary, as well as a son she considers like one of her own, Jayden. She told TopMob News in 2025, “I’m there for them with whatever they need and to help with any problems they face.”

Ming, the oldest of five children, was born on January 21, 2000, to Kimora and her husband at the time, hip-hop icon Russell Simmons.

Ming went to NYU and, like her mother, is now working as a model.

The founder of Boulangerie Beauty shared with W Magazine in 2017 that she essentially grew up in the fashion industry. She recalls walking the runway with her mother and sister after every Baby Phat fashion show in New York, and appearing in advertisements with them since she was just two years old. She now recognizes how unique those experiences were and feels grateful for them.

Kimora and Russell welcomed youngest daughter Aoki on Aug. 16, 2002.

Beyond her work as a model, Aoki is a gifted student. She was admitted to Harvard University at the young age of 16 and earned her degree in 2023.

Aoki shared with People magazine that he felt grateful, proud, and relieved – in that order. He described finishing his studies as a surreal experience, noting it was a significant part of his life. Now, just like any other graduate, he’s excited to start the next phase of his life.

 

Kimora and her former partner, Djimon Hounsou, have a son named Kenzo, who was born on May 30, 2009. Kimora has said that Kenzo’s name means “third and wise” in Japanese.

I’ve been following Kenzo’s career for a while now, and it’s incredible to see how much he’s grown – literally! He’s a towering 6-foot-9 as a teenager, and he’s making waves both on the basketball court – he’s a real star for his high school team – and in the fashion world. He recently did a fantastic modeling campaign for Eve, and honestly, he just seems to excel at everything he tries.

Kimora had been thinking about adoption for years, she told Us Weekly. In 2020, she happily welcomed 10-year-old Gary into her family.

She described her family as large and boisterous, explaining that she’s constantly being called on for help. ‘Everyone’s always yelling for me – ‘Mom, help with this, do that!’ – constantly, ‘Mom, mom, mom!’ she said. ‘So, in a way, he just fits right in with all the noise and requests.’

Kimora welcomed her youngest, known as “Wolfie”, into the pack on April 10, 2015. 

“I can’t believe my BABY is 10!!!” she wrote in a 2025 Instagram tribute to her son with estranged husband Tim. “You make me so proud every single day, my smart, funny, silly boy!”

Kimora isn’t Jayden’s biological mother, but she raises him as her own son, often calling him her “bonus son.” She also shared on Today with Jenna & Friends in December 2025 that she acts as a mother figure to several other children, providing support and care as a surrogate mom.

“I have my kids, and then I have kids on the side,” Kimora noted. “I’m a lot of people’s mom.” 

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2026-04-21 20:48