Robert De Niro’s Grandson Leandro Dies at 19
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Robert De Niro’s grandson Leandro De Niro Rodriguez has died at the age of 19, according to his mother, Drena De Niro.
She posted to Instagram on Sunday about his death and included a photo of her son from the Tribeca Festival, which Robert De Niro co-founded. “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,” she wrote in the caption.
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In a statement shared with media outlets, Robert De Niro said, “I’m deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo. We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.”
Robert De Niro married Diahnne Abbott in 1976, and he adopted Drena De Niro, Abbott’s daughter from a previous relationship. (He and Abbott divorced in 1988.) Drena De Niro shared De Niro Rodriguez with his father, Carlos “Mare” Rodriguez, an artist whom she tagged in her post.
Details of De Niro Rodriguez’s death were not immediately known, and the medical examiner will determine the cause of death. In a subsequent Instagram post Monday, Drena De Niro wrote, “To the person who sold Leo, the fentanyl laced drugs that took him away from us I hope every day you will think of me and my family you killed us all.”
This follow-up post also included the statement, “It is with immeasurable shock and and sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved son Leo. We thank you for the outpouring of love and support and ask that we are given privacy at this time to process this inconsolable grief.”
De Niro Rodriguez was an actor who appeared with his mother in the 2018 releases A Star Is Born and Cabaret Maxime, the latter starring Michael Imperioli. Drena De Niro has additionally had roles in series including When They See Us and Mozart in the Jungle, along with such Robert De Niro-starring features as Joy and The Intern.
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