Robert De Niro's Daughter Shares Heartbreaking Post About Teenage Son's Death
Drena De Niro, the eldest daughter of Robert De Niro, is opening up about the devastating loss of her son, who recently died at age 19.
The news was confirmed by the family on Sunday, July 2, after Leandro De Niro Rodriguez was reportedly found dead inside a New York City apartment earlier that afternoon. The 79-year-old actor later broke his silence on his grandson's death in a statement made the following day.
On Monday evening, Drena, 51, shared a tribute to her late son in an emotional Instagram post featuring a black-and-white photo of the late teen.
"I can barely type through my tears," the grieving mother began her post on Monday. "But all the love, the messages, calls, texts, emails, the friends and family that held me up these last 24 hrs I’ve not been able to respond yet but we’re grateful for the all your love and condolences."
"None of this is right or fair and my heart hurts in a way I never knew possible while still breathing and barely functioning," she added.
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Drena then took a moment to address her late son, whom she shared with ex-husband Carlos Mare Rodriguez, writing, "Leo my darling I love you today like the first day I held you in my arms. The same man that picked us up from the hospital when you were born drove us to the funeral home where I touched and held you for the last time."
"You were kindness acceptance and love and I can’t believe any of this is real YOU made everything bearable and every burden lighter," she continued. "You didn’t deserve to die like this but I can only believe that God needed a strong powerful angel in their army."
"I’m holding you every second of every moment I’m my heart and memories until I’m with you again," Drena's post read. "My heart is broken forever. Me daddy and your family love you , I love I love you with every beat of my crying heart ????????????????? @carlosmare."
"He left us too soon," Leandro's dad wrote under Drena's post on Monday, while supermodel Naomi Campbell chimed in to say, "Leo will be your guardian Angel always with you . Can’t stop thinking of you ,and the pain your [sic] going through , Know you are not alone . ??????????????."
Leandro's cause of death has not yet been revealed, though TMZ reports that the situation is being investigated as a possible drug overdose.