What Happened To Brandon Smiley? – According to a famous comedian and radio host, Rickey Smiley, his son Brandon died from an overdose, warning parents not to assume their kids are safe from drug addiction. He found a new purpose after losing his 32-year-old son Brandon to an overdose in January. The host of radio’s The Rickey Smiley Morning Show is talking about his grief and encouraging families to talk about addiction.
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Who Are Rickey Smiley And His Son, Brandon Smiley?
The 54-year-old Rickey Smiley is an American actor and comedian and is the father of five children. D’Essence Elizabeth, who is 25, also adopted Craig Smiley. Rickey Smiley has not divulged much information about the mother of his children in the past and what led to his separation from her.
Though announcing the death of his eldest son, Brandon, he mentioned that her son is survived by his mother, Brenda. In a discussion with the Panic Room podcast, Rockey revealed that he was married to Brenda for 12 years. When asked more about his wife, he said that she did not cheat on him but added that he was a “different kind of guy” than her.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time Rickey and his family have faced such tragedy. In July 2020, his daughter, Aaryn, became a victim of an accidental act of gun violence in Houston, Texas. She was traveling to a restaurant with her boyfriend when someone opened fire on her.
After the incident, Aaryn revealed on social media, “The fact that the bullets that went through my legs were protected rifle bullets made to go complete anything (how they got through the car), but the one that would have hit me in the head was not that kind and ended up stuck in the car. Words can’t describe how thankful I am to be alive now”.
What Instigated The Death Of Rickey Smiley’s Son, Brandon Smiley?
According to sources, Rickey Smiley hasn’t provided any details on the death of his son, Brandon. Smiley said about his grief, “Now I see what my granddaddy went through and why he felt the way he felt. My granddaddy went through this (expletive) with my dad, and somehow, here I am, going over the same thing my grandparents went through. So pray for our family”.
Rickey Smiley On Brandon Smiley’s Death
Smiley mentioned that while he was preparing to leave for Georgia, his daughter Taylor called him and said that Brandon was dead. The comedian said that although the incident left him in shock, he had prepared himself for this situation for a long time, knowing it would happen someday.
Smiley said he tried his best to send Brandon to rehab and was baptized a month before his death. The father added that he was unaware of how Brandon had developed a drug addiction, as he continued: “We just accept that if you’re in a good school district or you’re in a gated communal, or everything is going good, these kids are not doing drugs. You don’t have to be in the hood.”
On January 30, 2023, Rickey Smiley took to Instagram to share the news of his son’s death. In the post, he shared a video and wrote that he was fine but requested everyone to pray for Brandon’s mother, Brenda, his siblings, and daughter Storm. He added, “I want everybody to pray for me and our family. My son, Brandon Smiley, passed away this morning. I’m about to get on a flight and try to get to Birmingham. Lord have mercy, Jesus.”
Brandon was 32 years old at the time of demise, but the cause of death was not revealed. Addressing the same, Rickey Smiley said: “Now I see what my granddaddy went through and why he felt the way he felt. My granddaddy went through this sh*t with my dad, and somehow, I am going through the same thing my grandparents did. So pray for our family.”
Comments Got Rickey Smiley On Brandon Smiley’s Death Declaration Video
Several of Smiley’s famous friends flooded his video’s comments section with support. The comments are:
“I’m so sorry, Rickey,” actress Niecy Nash wrote.
“My heart goes out to you and your family, brother,” comedian Jay Pharoah commented. “My condolences.”
“Oh no! I’m so sorry for your loss,” Xscape singer Kandi Burruss wrote. “I love you (and) I’m praying for you!”
“I’m so sorry, friend,” TV personality and singer Tamar Braxton commented.
“Condolences, brother,” singer CeeLo Green wrote.
Conclusion
Hence, Brandon, an aspiring stand-up comic, died of fentanyl and ethanol toxicity, people have learned. Following the autopsy report from the Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s Office, the method of death was ruled accidental. Father to a 3-year-old daughter, Brandon fought an addiction to painkillers for years, according to Smiley.