Robert De Niro’s grandson Leandro De Niro Rodriguez has died, according to his mother, Drena De Niro.
The actress, 51, shared the news on social media Sunday alongside a photo of her 19-year-old son.
“My beautiful sweet angel,” Drena De Niro wrote in the caption. “I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly.”
Robert De Niro said he is “deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo” in a statement shared with USA TODAY Monday by his rep Stan Rosenfield.
“We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo,” he said.
USA TODAY has reached out to Drena De Niro’s rep. No additional details were immediately available about Leandro’s death.
In her Instagram post Sunday, Drena De Niro called her son “my joy my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life. I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you . I don’t know how to live without you but 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.
“I’m so sorry my baby,” Drena De Niro wrote, tagging Carlos “Mare” Rodriguez, with whom she shares her son. “Rest in Peace and Eternal Paradise my darling boy.”
The family’s community shared their condolences on social media. Director Lee Daniels took to the comments, writing, “Drena may GOD keep you in his arms.”
Actress Rosie Perez commented, “Shocked! I’m so sorry! We are all here for you !!! I love you too much!”
Actress Lana Parrilla wrote, “Drena, I’m so deeply sorry. Sending you an enormous amount of love, prayers and strength. May God be with you and all who love your darling boy.”
Rodriguez hasn’t yet addressed his son’s death publicly, but he posted a blacked-out square on Instagram in the hours following the news.
In May, Drena De Niro shared photos of her son – who starred together with her in the 2018 film “A Star is Born” – for Mother’s Day.
“A Lil bit of Leo,” she wrote. “Today was a good day.”
Robert De Niro welcomed his seventh child in May, confirming he and partner Tiffany Chen are now parents to a newborn daughter, Gia Virginia.
The 79-year-old actor is also dad to Drena, 51, and Raphael, 46, from his first marriage to Diahnne Abbot. He shares twins Julian and Aaron, 27, with Toukie Smith, whom he never married. And he shares Elliot, 25, and Helen Grace, 11, with Grace Hightower, who he wed in 1997 and separated in 2018.
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