What happened to Michael Bublé’s son after he was diagnosed with cancer?

Canadian crooner Michael Bublé was living the dream in 2016. He had a flourishing singing career, a loving wife, and two adorable sons, but the happiness was dashed that same year when his eldest son, Noah, was diagnosed with cancer.

Bublé and his wife, Argentine actress and model Luisana Lopilato, tied the knot in 2011. Two years later, they welcomed their son, Noah. At 3 years old, Noah was diagnosed with liver cancer that devastated the family. The singer shared the news publicly via a Facebook post in Nov. 2016, asking for prayers amid the difficult time. Bublé, who always prioritized his family, also said that he and his wife would focus all their attention on their beloved son during his treatments.

Noah had hepatoblastoma, the most common type of liver cancer in children. The tumor presents in the liver cells and can spread to other areas of the body when not caught or treated. Some of its symptoms include a swollen abdomen, back pain, weight loss, and a decreased appetite.

Following his son’s diagnosis, Bublé canceled his work engagements, including hosting the 2017 Brit Awards, as well as a performance at the BBC Music Awards in Dec. 2016. For him and his wife, nothing was more important at that moment than being there with their son in his tough battle with cancer. Noah underwent treatment for months, and in April 2017, Bublé made an update about his son’s health. At that time, he said Noah was responding well to the treatments and his doctors were optimistic about the boy’s future. “He has been brave throughout and we continue to be inspired by his courage. We thank God for the strength he has given all of us,” he wrote.

Michael Bublé reflects on his son’s illness

Noah had surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy and in 2017, Bublé announced that his son was cancer-free. The singer returned to work and even wrote a song for his children titled “Forever Now.” Bublé, who is a coach on The Voice, talked about it while mentoring one of the singers and shared what it meant to him. He said when he wrote it, he thought he’d never be able to sing it live because it was too emotional for him. With Noah now healthy, however, he’s found the courage to do it. “The first times I did it, I was a mess. And then the more I did it, the more therapeutic it was,” he shared.

Bublé has also reflected on that difficult time in several interviews throughout the years. When he and his wife heard the diagnosis, they were utterly devastated and said it was “the worst possible thing that you could hear as a parent.” Bublé wished he could switch positions with his son and be the one to go through the difficulty that came with the illness to save his little boy. However, the diagnosis also gave the singer a new perspective on life, saying that the fear he felt allowed him to “live a deeper life.”

In an appearance in the podcast The Diary of a CEO, Bublé said before Noah’s diagnosis, he wanted everything in terms of his career. “‘How do I become the baddest, biggest, best?’ More ego, more power, more money,” he stated. When he learned about Noah’s cancer, however, his priorities changed and he realized what was important in his life, his family.

“I remember closing my eyes and saying to myself, ‘If we get out of this, I’m living a different life, a better life.’ I want to be kinder, more empathetic, I don’t want that ego and that false self to take over, I want to know how lucky I am.”

Bublé is now a father of four children. He and Lopilato added two daughters to the brood — Vida, born in 2018; and Cielo, born in 2022. He often shares a glimpse of his personal life on Instagram, showing the simple things they enjoy together as a family.