LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Drena De Niro, the daughter of actor Robert De Niro, has opened up about the tragic death of her son Leandro, who died of a drug overdose at the age of 19.
In an Instagram post on August 9, Drena revealed the truth behind the circumstances of Leo’s passing and slammed the online trolls who have spread false rumors and hateful comments about her family, Hollywood Life reported.
How is Leandro De Niro's mother dealing with his death?
Drena announced that Leo was unaware of the fentanyl-laced substance, a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin.
She said that he was only told to be careful with the pills he bought, but not that they were deadly. She also clarified that Leo’s death was not a suicide, but an accidental overdose.
"Since the circumstances of my sons, death has taken on a narrative and life of its own, driven by vicious, inaccurate hypotheses and conjecture by way of trolling and randoms who have nothing better to do than spread vitriol and pain to people who are already managing more than their share of heartache," Drena began the statement.
" ...I will say what I can about this .." The actress said, "Leo was not forewarned to anyone's knowledge that he would be taking a fentanyl-laced substance."
'There is no way to reason with stupidity or ignorance'
Drena previously confirmed that Leo died from “fentanyl-laced pills” when she announced his passing on July 3.
“He was warned to ‘not take too many’ of the counterfeit pills he was being sold and to ‘be careful with these’ but this is very different than warning that a substance is in fact lethal or better yet not selling it all,” she continued in the August 9 statement.
She said, "There is no way to reason with stupidity or ignorance but I will say that as long as we keep blaming the addict and person suffering mental illness we are going to continue to see more of this."
She said Leo "suffered tremendously" during Covid and that addiction took over in the last year which "eventually killed him.”
'At least think about the 'emotional fragility' of the people they are attacking'
She advised people while commenting on "people's misfortune and loss" they should "at least think about the "emotional fragility" of the people they are "attacking."
Drena also noted that her family didn't ask to be "public tabloid fodder for trolling" as they deal with the "paramount loss."
“Hopefully the publicity his very sad death has garnered will bring attention to a much bigger problem and to all the other beautiful young lives that are being snuffed out way too soon and senselessly,” she wrote.
'I also hope his passing will help bring more empathy'
“I also hope his passing will help bring more empathy, understanding, and support to families and people who are struggling with mental health, suicide, and addiction," she stated.
She wrote in the caption, "There’s been a lot of misunderstanding and misrepresentation of facts that I as his mother can not sit by and not speak up about."
She further added, "...idiocy and mean-spiritedness won’t be tolerated as it’s too sensitive and painful of a situation for myself and Leo’s friends and family."
