Source: Marcus Ingram / Getty / Brandon Smiley
Comedian and radio host Rickey Smiley opened up about his son Brandon Smiley’s passing, sharing details on his possible cause of death.
Brandon Smiley, 32, was found unresponsive in his home in Birmingham by a friend on January 29. Investigators did not suspect anything suspicious or foul play as the cause of his death.
He was laid to rest at the beginning of February. Smiley shared photos and videos from the service.
Speaking with the Today Show, Rickey Smiley said he was told Brandon suffered a drug overdose by his son’s girlfriend. Smiley told the show he got a phone call from Brandon’s younger sister that his son passed away as he headed from Dallas to Birmingham.
While there has been no official determination via a toxicology report, Smiley said Brandon died from a drug overdose.
“He was struggling with that (drugs),” Smiley said. “His mother and I made several attempts to send him to get the help that he needed, to send him to rehab. We thought he was doing better. He had just joined the church, just got baptized again probably a month before he passed away. He used. And it killed him.”
You likely saved a life this morning @RickeySmiley. Thanks for using your grief and pain to raise awareness. https://t.co/HXONCMFB5R
— Craig Melvin (@craigmelvin) March 2, 2023
Rickey Smiley Is Concerned Kids Are Not Listening To Their Parents About Drug Abuse
Smiley also believes parents are having the necessary conversations with their children about drug use but said the concern is if the message is getting through to them.
“The problem is getting the kids to listen to what the parents are saying. Parents are having these conversations. Some of them are uncomfortable. You just assume if you’re in a good school district or in a gated community or everything is going good that these kids are not doing drugs,” he continued. “You don’t have to be in the hood to succumb to drug abuse.”
Host and comedian @RickeySmiley joins us exclusively to talk about the loss of his son Brandon earlier this year. pic.twitter.com/DwpD3JaNEB
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 2, 2023
Speaking about his son, Smiley described Brandon as “fun” and a prankster who wanted to be just like him. The Rickey Smiley Morning Show host said his faith helped him deal with his son’s sudden and tragic loss.
“God had kind of gave me a sense that I’m shocked but not surprised,” Smiley said. “Deep inside I was kind of prepared for it but then again I was not really prepared because that’s your child.”
Our thoughts continue to be with Rickey Smiley and his family.
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Photo: Marcus Ingram / Getty
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