Dad: Nick Cannon's illness drove him closer to Mariah

Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey really do love each other in sickness and in health!

The "America's Got Talent" host's father, James Cannon, told Us Weekly Tuesday that Nick's recent hospitalization for mild kidney failure only strengthened his son's relationship with Carey.

"Nick and Mariah have a very strong bond," James said. "If anything, this unexpected illness has made them closer than ever and appreciate one another even more."

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"She would stay in the hospital overnight to support him," James, author of "The Calling — How to Discover Your Calling in Three Days," told Us. "Nick and Mariah are really good for one another — they have so much in common and can make the other one laugh. So they managed to cope even though Nick was pretty sick. But he is glad to be home now and his whole family is pleased about that also."

Although resting up in the hospital was difficult for the active 31-year-old, Nick's father said that "at the same time, he loved being the center of attention too when people visited him." 

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"The great thing about my son is that he always tries to stay upbeat," James gushed. "He took his mind off things by joking with the nurses and doctors and things like that."

As for the couple's 8-month-old twins, Moroccan and Monroe? "They are absolutely beautiful babies," James told Us. "They are both doing great and they are a total mix of their parents. They both share Nick and Mariah's spirit and energy levels. They are beautiful and it is a joy and blessing to see them change and grow constantly."

Fortunately, Nick was released from an L.A. hospital Monday, and according to his dad is "doing well."

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"The doctors have ordered him to rest and make some adjustments to his diet too," James added. "It has been an educational process for him, and he is determined to make those changes and stay away from soft drinks and too many sugar-based foods now."

Nick is expected to return to his morning radio show, "Rollin' With Nick Cannon," on Jan. 17.