On the first anniversary of his untimely death, Robert De Niro's late grandson has been remembered as a "sweet wild boy" by his grieving mother. The 'Raging Bull' actor, age 80, and his daughter Drena De Niro were devastated by the tragic death of 19-year-old Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez last year.
The young adult lost his life after taking a cocktail of drugs, consisting of fentanyl-laced heroin, bromazolam, alprazolam, aminoclonazepam, ketamine, and cocaine on July 2, 2023. Marking one year since the shocking loss, Drena took to Instagram to share unseen memories of Leandro, including pictures of him sporting a leather outfit, as well as a picture from his gravesite.
Posting a series of warm memories of her son, including the one with the leather jacket, Dren wrote on her post: "I KNEW this kid was jacking my clothes behind my back!!!". She continued her tribute by saying: "Today we celebrated sweet wild boy Leo (black heart emoji).. in your short time here you made the world a brighter place."
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The mourning mum told her deceased son that he was still loved, while expressing her gratitude for those who supported her and their family during the difficult times: "You are deeply loved like the sun loves the moon and the moon loves the sea. Thank you to everyone of you who held me, @carlosmare and our family in your arms and hearts through the darkest days.
"I can only hope to pay it forward. #cantspelllovewithoutleo (red heart, sea, sunshine, red heart, bat, white dove, dog, lion, three stars, and four shooting star emojis) #bigmargiela #neonguts #rumi."
Accompanying the heartfelt caption were various snapshots, one being of an inspiring poem about a loved one's enduring impact, and another of a poignant visit to Leandro's final resting place.
The grieving mother decorated the area with several vases of flowers and ended her Instagram post with a picture of Leandro smiling directly at the camera.
Leandro's father, Carlos 'Mare' Rodriguez, also took to Instagram to remember his son on the first anniversary of his passing. He posted a black image with the caption: "Year One. Rest in Peace Rest in Me Leo. #youcantspelllovewithoutleo (praying hands, white dove, red heart and broken heart emojis.)".
Carlos revealed that they had baked a cake in honour of his late son and shared old videos of Leandro dancing in the streets.
Actor Robert expressed his sorrow over his grandson's death in a statement, saying: "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."
A spokesperson for the New York Police Department confirmed that at the time of Leandro's death, a "male was found unconscious, unresponsive and was pronounced deceased by emergency services on scene" after they received a 911 call around 2.23pm on 2 July last year.
The New York City chief medical examiner's office later confirmed that Leandro's death was due to an accidental drug overdose.
Drena made a heartbreaking revelation on Instagram a few days after her son's death, stating: "Someone sold him fentanyl laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him."
"So for all these people still f****** around selling and buying this s***, my son is gone forever."
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