Las Vegas headliner Criss Angel’s son relapses in cancer battle

Criss Angel’s young son Johnny Crisstopher is battling a rare form of leukemia once more.

Angel reported during an impromptu interview with TMZ on Tuesday afternoon that the 5-year-old’s cancer had returned and that he would be readmitted for treatment.

“He got diagnosed with pediatric cancer before he was 2 years old, he’s been in treatment for over three years, he’s been in remission,” Angel said as he, Johnny Crisstopher, the boy’s mother, Shaunyl Benson, and the couple’s 10-month old boy, Xristos Yanni, were approached by a TMZ reporter at Los Angeles International Airport. “But unfortunately … he had a relapse, and he’s going back into the hospital on Monday.”

En route to a family trip to Universal Studios and Disneyland, Angel told TMZ he plans to stage an all-star event at Planet Hollywood, where he headlines in “Criss Angel Mindfreak,” in 2020. The goal is to raise $5 million to fight pediatric cancer. Angel says he plans to announce the lineup by the end of the year.

Angel has previously hosted a celeb-filled event for his H.E.L.P. charity, in September 2016, during his days as headliner at Luxor. Tony Orlando, Mike Tyson, Lance Burton, Gary Oldman, Terry Fator, Debbie Gibson, Dee Snider, Richie Sambora, Sebastian Bach, Imagine Dragons, Vince Neil, Corey Feldman, Blue Man Group, Tom Green, members of Cirque du Soleil, the guitarist Orianthi, Andrew Dice Clay, Carrot Top, Flavor Flav and the late Jerry Lewis were among the stars to turn out in support.

Angel is entering his first anniversary of his stage show at Planet Hollywood. Citing a rotator-cuff surgery he plans early next year, he has trimmed his schedule to one show per night, at 8 p.m., through next June.

Johnny Crisstopher was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in October 2015. Angel has said his son had been in remission since 2016 and had ended his chemotherapy treatments last December.

Angel had hosted an amusement park-themed party at his Las Vegas estate as Johnny finished his final round of chemotherapy almost a year ago, with such friends as Orlando, Oldman and his magician touring partner Mike Hammer all turned up for the superhero-themed party.

Benson, who attended all of her son’s chemo treatments dating to his diagnosis in Queensland, Australia, told the guests, “I want to thank all of you and our family for helping keep Johnny’s positive spirit alive. He’s just this awesome, amazing kid who goes through his chemo, then goes and plays and wrestles with his dad.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His PodKats podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram