*On Monday’s edition of “Tamron Hall,” Rickey Smiley opens up about how his granddaughter helped him mourn the loss of his son Brandon following his funeral service.
Brandon passed away at the age of 32 in January. Tamron sits down with Smiley who reveals how he is processing his grief and putting back the pieces with the help of his family. Watch the moment via the YouTube clip above.
Smiley previously revealed that family members have been “speculating” that Brandon died after suffering for years from drug abuse, Page Six reports.
“Yeah, he was struggling with that,” Smiley said about his son’s drug use during a Craig Melvin on the “Today” show last month. “His mother and I made several attempts to try and send him to get the help he needed, send him to rehab. And we thought that he was doing better.”
READ MORE: Rickey Smiley Suspects His Son Died from Drug Overdose | Video
A candid interview with @RickeySmiley after the shocking, tragic death of his son Brandon, and what’s helping him heal. Plus, Rickey’s message for anyone who’s experienced loss. Tune in MONDAY on “Tamron Hall.” pic.twitter.com/ekVR8W7wXA
— Tamron Hall Show (@TamronHallShow) March 10, 2023
Smiley added, “He had just joined the church, and he had just gotten baptized again, probably a month before he passed away.”
Smiley noted that the family is waiting for the results of the toxicology report.
“But we haven’t got a toxicology report yet,” the Rickey Smiley Morning Show host said. “But this is just what we are speculating, according to his girlfriend who found him unresponsive.”
Smiley admitted he was “shocked but not surprised” by his son’s death because Brandon struggled with addiction for years. Smiley said during the “Today” segment that he does not “know why” or “how” Brandon became addicted to drugs.
“We just assume that if you’re in a good school district or you’re in a gated community or everything is going good that these kids are not doing drugs,” he said. “You don’t have to be in the hood.”
Tune in to the “Tamron Hall” show today to hear more from Ricky about how he’s coping after the sudden death of his eldest child. Check here to see when the daytime talker airs in your city.
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