Singer Toni Braxton's teenage son has conquered autism

Singer Toni Braxton's teenage son has conquered autism, thanks to advice the star received from a late expert.

The Breathe Again hitmaker admits she got lucky when she first learned Diezel had a learning disability and started talking about his challenges, because one interview tweaked the interest of Autism Speaks charity founder Suzanne Wright.

"Early diagnosis changes everything," Toni tells Access Hollywood Live. "My son Diezel was off the spectrum being autistic, and Suzanne Wright, who unfortunately just passed... she called me immediately and said, 'Get him in this programme, do this, do that'. She's been an advocate and helped me so much; I miss her already, I can't believe she's gone.

"Our lives have changed. He has no signs of autism. He's our social butterfly... I'm very, very fortunate... He's doing pretty wonderful. I'm pretty proud of him."

Wright, who co-founded Autism Speaks to help parents like Braxton, died on Friday (29Jul16) at her home in Fairfield, Connecticut, aged 69.

She took on autism as a cause after her grandson, Christian, stopped speaking when he was two-years-old and was diagnosed with autism.

She and her husband, Bob Wright, a former president and chief executive of U.S. TV network NBC, set up Autism Speaks in 2005 after failing to get vital information about the condition and what they could do to help their grandson and his parents.