New York, December 4, 2025 – In an emotional and heartfelt interview on NBC’s Today with Jenna & Friends Wednesday morning, Kimora Lee Simmons revealed that she has taken on the role of “surrogate mom” to Sean “Diddy” Combs’ 18-year-old twin daughters, D’Lila Star and Jessie James Combs, following their father’s imprisonment and the lingering absence of their late mother, Kim Porter.
The 50-year-old fashion mogul and reality star, who just returned to television with the E! series Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane, spoke openly about her ever-expanding family and the deep bond she shares with Porter’s children.
“I have my kids, and then I have kids on the side,” Simmons explained with a warm laugh. “One of my friends who passed away, Kim Porter, I have all of her kids. Even though some of them are adults, some are 18, twins.”
When co-host Jenna Bush Hager asked whether the twins actively turn to her for guidance, Simmons replied without hesitation:
“Yeah, they’re with me. I just got off the phone with them. I’m a lot of people’s mom.”
Guest host Scarlett Johansson, visibly impressed, asked, “Are you doing this solo? How do you do it all of this?”
Simmons credited an extensive support network: “I have a lot of help. It takes a village, so I have godmoms and aunties and friends… it’s really a village of women. We’re kind of like a girl village.”
Kim Porter and Sean Combs shared an on-and-off relationship from 1994 to 2007 and had four children together: Quincy Brown (34, whom Diddy adopted), Christian “King” Combs (27), and the twins D’Lila and Jessie (born December 21, 2006). Porter died suddenly in November 2018 at age 47 from lobar pneumonia, leaving Simmons as one of the closest maternal figures in the children’s lives. Simmons has repeatedly honored her promise to Porter to “look after and guide” them.
The twins’ need for stability has grown more acute since their father’s legal troubles culminated in his October 2025 conviction on federal charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. Diddy is currently serving a 50-month sentence at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, with a possible release in late 2028 after credit for time served.
Kimora Lee Simmons is already a mother of five:
- Ming Lee Simmons, 25, and Aoki Lee Simmons, 23, with ex-husband Russell Simmons
- Kenzo Lee Hounsou, 16, with actor Djimon Hounsou
- Wolfe Lee Leissner, 10, with ex-husband Tim Leissner
- Adopted son Gary Lee, also 16
She also considers 19-year-old Jaden a “bonus son” who has lived with the family for years and appears on her new show.
The return of Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane, which premiered December 2 on E!, offers viewers an inside look at this blended, bustling household. The series captures everything from Ming and Aoki’s modeling careers and Kenzo’s towering basketball games to the everyday chaos of raising teenagers while running a fashion empire.
For D’Lila and Jessie, who graduated high school in May 2025 amid their father’s highly publicized trial, Simmons’ home has become a safe haven. The twins, known for their synchronized TikTok dances and runway appearances, have continued to honor both parents publicly while leaning on Simmons and their extended “girl village” of aunts, godmothers, and family friends.
Simmons’ candid revelation underscores a recurring theme in her life and career: community, resilience, and the power of chosen family. As she told the Today hosts, “It definitely takes a village, and we’re kind of like… a girl village.”
