Regina King‘s son, Ian Alexander Jr.’s death is now a confirmed suicide. King’s only child, Alexander has passed away just days short of his 26th birthday coming on Wednesday.
The 51-year-old actress released an official statement, requesting “consideration” during this time of grief for the family.
Regina King Was A Proud Mom
Ian Alexander Jr. was King’s only child, whom she shared with her ex-husband, record producer Ian Alexander Sr. She split with Alexander Sr. in 2007 after nine years of marriage, and while she admitted that being a single mother wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, her love for her son preceded it all.
Ian Alexander Jr followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a deejay and King was very proud of him, calling him “an amazing young man”.
Alexander Jr.’s last Instagram post was dated three days ago, as he hinted at an upcoming performance on January 28th.
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A Cincinnati native, King won an Academy Award in 2018 for playing Sharon Rivers in “If Beale Street Could Talk.” She’s also known for other movies like “Jerry Maguire,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” and the recent “The Harder They Fall.”
King Released An Official Statement
After the news of his death broke, Regina King released an official statement to People Magazine, “Our family is devastated at the deepest level by the loss of Ian. He is such a bright light who cared so deeply about the happiness of others. Our family asks for respectful consideration during this private time. Thank you.”
The mother-son duo was often spotted at award functions and other shows together and seemed to be a rather close-knit family.
For her 50th birthday, Alexander paid a tribute to his mom on social media, writing, “To be able to watch you take this lifetime by its neck and make it yours is something I will forever be grateful for. But to have you as my mother is the greatest gift I could ask for. To be all that you are while always having the time to be there, love, and support me unconditionally is truly remarkable. The whole marvel universe ain’t got shit on you, you’re the real superhero! Love you, mom!”
Here’s the full tribute.
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Unconditional Love For Her Boy
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Despite struggling with single parenthood, Regina King often gushed about her son. She said, “You don’t know what unconditional love is. You may say you do, but if you don’t have a child, you don’t know what that is. When you experience it, it’s the most fulfilling [thing] ever.”
It’s unknown at this time if Alexander Jr. was under any kind of mental duress and how his death came to be, other than the fact that it’s a confirmed suicide.
Twitter is awash in sympathy for King, with fans sending her support. Wrote one, “Sending my deepest condolences to Regina King and her family over the passing of her only son. May God’s Grace, love, and peace be with her and the family during this difficult time.”
More sympathy followed as Regina King’s fans hoped and prayed for strength for her to be able to endure such tough times.
This is heartbreaking. Awful news , my prayers to Regina King who has lost her only son Ian Alexander Jr. Rest In Peace 🕊❤️🕊 pic.twitter.com/IvmaLVN6eM
— Claire ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏻✊🏿✊🏼 (@Astroxanda) January 22, 2022
