Robert De Niro’s daughter honors her late son Leandro one year after his death

Robert De Niro‘s daughter Drena De Niro Her deceased son still has a special place in her heart, Leandro De Niro Rodriguezone year after his death.

Leandro died of an accidental drug overdose in July 2023 at the age of 19. Drena, 56, wrote a touching tribute in honor of her son as she marked the first anniversary of his death on Tuesday, July 2.

“I KNEW this boy was stealing my clothes behind my back!!!” Drena began her social media message, sharing a photo of her son rocking one of her outfits. (Drena shared Leandro with the artist Carlos Mare.)

Drena, one of Robert’s seven children, has posted photos of Leandro over the years, as well as a picture of his grave surrounded by flowers.

“Today we celebrated the sweet, wild boy Leo 🖤…” she continued. “In your short time here, you have made the world a better place.”

Drena raved: “You are loved deeply, as the sun loves the moon and the moon loves the sea.”

The actress thanked “each and every one of you who has held me” and her family “in your arms and hearts during the darkest of days.” Drena concluded by saying, “I can only hope to pay it forward,” adding the hashtag “cantspelllovewithoutleo” in honor of her son.

Alongside photos of Leandro, Drena posted a poem titled “You are joy,” which contained a message of hope and love. “You are intelligence; we are your voice,” read one line, while another said, “You are joy and we are laughter, for we are the result of the blessing of your joy.”

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A year earlier, Drena had announced Leandro’s death, but kept details of the cause of death secret.

“My beautiful, sweet angel. I have loved you beyond words since I felt you in my belly. You were my joy, my heart, and everything that was ever pure and real in my life,” she wrote on Instagram in July 2023. “I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you.”

Drena added, “I don’t know how to live without you but I will try to move on and spread the love and light that I felt through you when I became your mommy. You were so loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you 😞.”

As Robert mourned the loss of his grandson, he released a statement to We weeklyand said: “I am deeply saddened by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo. We are very grateful for the condolences from everyone. We ask that we be allowed to grieve the loss of Leo in peace.”

The following month, the New York City Medical Examiner ruled that Leandro’s death was the result of an accidental overdose after fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine and cocaine were found in his system.

At the beginning of the year, Robert spoke in more detail about Leandro’s death and told People In February, he was “shocked” and “stunned” when he heard the news. “(I) never thought something like this would happen,” the Oscar winner said.

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Before his death, Leandro was an actor like his grandfather and mother and appeared in 2018 in A star Is Born.

Leandro was the only child of Drena, Robert’s eldest daughter. The actor adopted Drena when she was 5 years old with his then wife. Diane Abbott. Robert and Abbott, 79, welcomed their son Raphael in 1976.

Robert is also father of 28-year-old twins Aaron and Julian, whom he has with Toukie SmithHe and his ex-wife Grace Hightower share son Elliot, 26, and daughter Helen, 13. Robert’s youngest child, daughter Gia, was born in April 2023. He shares the baby with girlfriend Tiffany Chen.