LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Bryan Randall has reportedly died at the age of 57 after battling ALS for three years. Bryan's family communicated the sad news, stating, "It is with deep sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of Bryan Randall on August 5, following a three-year struggle with ALS. Bryan had chosen to keep his battle with ALS private, and we have respected his wish as best as we could." They also expressed gratitude to the medical professionals and nurses who supported them throughout his illness.
Bryan, a former model turned photographer, began dating Sandra Bullock several months after their initial meeting in 2015 and even attended Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux's wedding in the same year. Their most recent public appearance together was in July 2020, where Randall was seen gazing affectionately at Bullock during their arrival at a close-knit private event in Studio City, accompanied by her two children.
Who was Bryan Randall's ex-wife?
Bryan is said to have a daughter named Skylar Staten Randall from his previous relationship with late Janine Staten. Born in September 1993, she is currently 29 years old, as reported by The Sun. Skylar chose a similar career path as her father, venturing into modeling. Interestingly, Bryan initially made a name for himself in the modeling world before transitioning to photography. Following her mother's death in 2004, Skylar lived with her grandmother before relocating to Los Angeles with her father to finish high school.
According to Daily Mail Online, Randall and Janine had a complex personal history and their relationship was marred by challenges, including legal disputes over unpaid child support. Bryan had to undergo rehab for substance abuse at a time when his then-fiancee Janine was pregnant with their daughter Skylar. However, Bryan was not actively present in Skylar's early life, and court documents show unpaid child support totaling nearly $2,000. He only became more involved as a parent after both Janine and her mother, Pierrette Johnson, died, leaving Bryan as Skylar's guardian.
Janine Staten's mysterious death
Janine Staten faced her own struggles, battling heroin addiction. Although she was in a relationship with Bryan, he wasn't consistently in their lives, according to the information mentioned in New Idea. Janine tragically died in 2004 due to complications related to her addiction. However, Janine's death was looked upon as suspicious by her family. The magazine claimed in its report from 2017 that Janine's family had revealed that the fatal dose of the drug was actually administered by someone else. They suspected Janine’s husband at the time, Michael Blankenship, who was Skylark’s stepdad. “When Janine overdosed, it was not by herself,” alleges her stepsister Christy Hodgekkss. “The injection site was her back, which she couldn’t even reach. Somebody else had to have done it. I’d say it was probably her partner at that time.”
Janine's mother, Perri, played a significant role in raising Skylar. Bryan gained custody of Skylar in 2007 after Skylar's grandmother's death. Legal documents obtained from an Oregon court indicate that Bryan was ordered to pay child support of $187 per month. "He had left his ex-fiancée Janine to take care of their daughter when 'the relationship went to the rocks'," a family member — who did not wish to be named – said, adding, "They fell in love, got engaged and had a baby but then it all fell apart. He wasn't present at all. Janine's mother Perri did a lot of the work bringing up Sky, she essentially raised her. Sky was a good girl, a very bright kid. I just wish she had her parents there." The source continued, "Janine loved her daughter but had a demon on her back. Nobody knew how bad it was and we thought maybe she and Bryan just liked to smoke pot"
"She had so much talent and hope. She had big dreams of making it in Hollywood as a screenwriter. At one point she was working at MTV and dating someone high up at DreamWorks Records," said the source. Engelbach, a former roommate who last lived with Staten and Skylar in 2001, explained: "When Sky was about 10 or 11, they'd spend weekends in Los Angeles with her boyfriend who worked at a record label. He'd spoil them rotten and it was nice to see them happy, she would come home and tell me about partying with Kevin Costner, Charlie Sheen, and Robert Downey Jr"
When questioned about if he knew of Staten's problem with drugs, Engelbach said: "I was never sure and thought it was OK. She would drink wine most days but that's not a serious concern. After she left I found a backpack that had dirty needles and syringes in. She ended up with a guy she met in rehab. I was very sad when she died but, and I hate to say it, I wasn't really shocked."
Bryan's journey to fatherhood
Bryan Randall faced legal action for missing payments and was required to pay $1,870 in past support. These records suggest that Bryan owed unpaid child support to Janine when she passed away. Close sources have acknowledged Bryan's past struggles with drugs but also noted his positive progress in recent years. Friends and family had expressed hope that Bryan's relationship with Skylar would grow stronger, with his involvement as a father becoming more prominent.
Janine's obituary mentions her husband, Michael Blankenship, whom she met at a Narcotics Anonymous group. They later attended methadone clinics together. In 2001, an affair between Janine and Blankenship began, despite Blankenship being married to Tammi. Tammi alleges that Janine taught her husband how to use needles during this time. This affair brought Skylar, who was almost a teenager at the time, into contact with Blankenship.
Legal documents and arrest reports reveal that Blankenship has a history of drug-related violations. In 2010, he served a 90-day prison sentence for possessing 12.32g of heroin, valued at approximately $800. He claimed to have sold the drug to sustain his own addiction. He was also charged with third-degree robbery for attempting to steal clothes from a fashion store, a mere 24 days after Janine's death in 2004.
Skylar had better life with dad Bryan Randall
Skylar's situation reportedly improved significantly after she moved in with Bryan Randall. Before that, Skylar had two adults, her mom Janine and stepdad Blankenship, looking after her even as they struggled with drug addiction and getting clean. Janine's struggles were evident and Blankenship's company did not help. Tammi, Blankenship's ex-wife who divorced him on learning about his affair with Janine, apparently discovered needles in Blankenship's truck at one point. Tammi believed that Skylar had to grow up too quickly due to her family circumstances, expressing sadness over the situation. Tammi told Daily Mail Online: "Skylar is a hell of a lot better with Bryan. He's cleaned up now but Janine was a wreck."
Asked whether her ex-husband Michael Blankenship was a father figure to Skylar, she said: "Mike would do maintenance work for cash and sometimes would take Skylar with him. What sort of parent would leave a 12-year-old with a drug addict she just met in a methadone clinic?" she asked, criticizing Janine's parenting.
