‘Deeply distressed’ Robert De Niro reacts to ‘beloved grandson’ Leandro’s death at 19
Robert De Niro is mourning his grandson Leandro De Niro Rodriguez.
“I’m deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo,” the actor said in a statement to Page Six via his rep Monday.
“We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.”
Robert’s daughter Drena De Niro announced her son’s death Sunday in an emotional Instagram tribute to her “beautiful sweet angel.”
“I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly,” the actress and filmmaker, 51, captioned a throwback photo. “You have been my joy my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life.”
After writing that she does not “know how to live without” the teenager, Drena added, “I’ll try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama.
“You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you,” she continued. “I’m so sorry my baby. … Rest in Peace and Eternal Paradise my darling boy.”
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The cause of death was not immediately known, though drugs and drug paraphernalia were reportedly found near Leandro’s body.
Drena shared her son with graffiti artist Carlos “Mare139” Rodriguez, who commented on her social media upload, “words aren’t enough to express the joy he gave us or the loss we now endure with our families and friends. He is Godschild [sic] now. 🙏🏼 On this full moon his spirit luminates what could not be seen in the dark. You can’t spell LOVE without LEO.”
Other celebrities left their support in the comments section, including Andy Cohen and Naomi Campbell.
“I am so sad to hear about beautiful Leo,” the Bravo exec wrote, while the model added how “heartbroken” she felt “at this very sad time and loss.”
Drena is the eldest of Robert’s seven children. He adopted her in 1976 after marrying her mom, Diahnne Abbott.
The Oscar winner also shares son Raphael, 46, with Abbott, as well as twins Aaron and Julian, 27, with Toukie Smith and son Elliot, 25, and daughter Helen, 11, with Grace Hightower.
In May, the “Taxi Driver” star revealed that his partner, Tiffany Chen, had given birth to baby No. 7. The duo named their daughter Gia.
