*Ricky Smiley is speaking out about the death of his son Brandon, who passed away at the age of 32 in January.
Smiley spoke to Craig Melvin on the “Today” show and 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. “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.”
Smiley added, “He had just joined the church, and he had just gotten baptized again, probably a month before he passed away.”
READ MORE: Rickey Smiley Announces the Passing of Son Brandon – He was Only 32 | WATCH
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.”
Smiley also gave an update on how he is holding up while mourning the death of his firstborn.
“I’m doing good,” he said. “I still have to do my morning show. I still have to press my way through, pray my way through. Lean on my spirituality.”
Watch Ricky’s “Today” interview via the YouTube clip above.
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