Mercedes "MJ" Javid Opens up About Losing Her Dad and Getting Pregnant in the Same Year
The Shahs of Sunset mom-to-be lost her father, Shams Javid, months before becoming pregnant with her first child.
2018 was definitely a big year for Mercedes "MJ" Javid: She married her love, Tommy Feight, on April 21 and became pregnant with her first child after undergoing IVF that summer. But despite these happy milestones, it wasn't an easy time for her, as she lost her father, Shams Javid, earlier that year before her wedding.
The Shahs of Sunset mama-to-be, whose due date is May 12 (Mother's Day), opened up about losing her father in the same year that she got pregnant in an interview with PEOPLE.
“I had this strong faith that if God was going to take my father away, he was going to give me a baby,” MJ said.
She also shared that she looks to her late father as a positive role model for parenting.
“My father taught me and treated me and spoke to me like an equal as far back as I can remember,” she said. “He was always trusting, positive, encouraging and gave me a sky-is-the-limit outlook … I want to raise my child in similar ways [that] my father did. Just being really calm and giving me independence. I think the tools I was given by him are some of the best things.”
MJ's pregnancy hasn't been entirely smooth sailing; she experienced a miscarriage scare back in December. Along the way, she said she's received support from her fellow Bravolebs, including new parent Andy Cohen, who welcomed son Benjamin Allen Cohen in February. “He has been really sweet. We chat on DM and he has been great,” MJ revealed.
She's also been in touch with her fellow Shahs. “The most supportive of the cast is Reza [Farahan],” she said. “He visits me all the time. Destiney [Rose] has been really sweet bringing me these sweet little care packages over... Nema [Vand] is awesome. He takes care of the FOMO department because he’ll bring me all of his drama and events he goes to, and I get to play Dr. Phil with his dating life, so we are always in touch,” she joked. “He makes me feel like I am still going out and still in the fray of L.A. life.”
Before she confirmed her pregnancy, Reza spoke about how Shams' passing affected MJ as she prepared to become a mother. "I'm really proud of her. I'm really inspired by her. To see her handle her dad's passing and just kind of come through it the way she did, really, really inspirational. And then to get married and now hopefully be expecting, it's like, there was a huge negative, but everything else has been super positive in their lives," Reza shared.
Hear more from Reza and Destiney on MJ's pregnancy, below.
