Hollywood actor, Robert De Niro’s grandson Leandro De Niro Rodriguez has died at the age of 19.
Leandro was the son of De Niro’s adopted daughter Drena, 51, and artist Carlos Mare.
His heartbroken mother took to social media to pay tribute to her late son in a heartfelt Instagram post on Monday July 3. But she did not reveal his cause of death.
Drena shared a picture of her son and a caption in which she declared ‘I wish that love alone could have saved you.’
The post began: ‘My beautiful sweet angel. I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly.
‘You have been my joy my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life . I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you.’
Drena continued: ‘I don’t know how to live without you but I’ll try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama.
‘You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you. I’m so sorry my baby, I’m so sorry @carlosmare. Rest in Peace and Eternal Paradise my darling boy.’
Aspiring actor and director Leandro was following in his mother and grandfather’s career footsteps, landing small roles in 2018’s A Star Is Born and Cabaret Maxime and 2005’s The Collection.
His mother Drena was adopted by De Niro, and took his surname, after the actor married her mother, Diahnne Abbott, in 1976.
De Niro split with Drena’s mother in 1988 but the Hollywood A-lister remained in her life.
Drena made De Niro a grandfather in 2003 when she welcomed son Leandro with her then-boyfriend Carlos Rodriguez.