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Rickey Smiley shares son struggled with substance abuse before he died – Hollywood Life




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Image credit: John Shearer/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Brandon smiley face32-year-old son of radio personality and comedian Rickey smiley face, passed away on January 29. In his first interview since that heartbreaking tragedy, Rickey, 54, shared that his son struggled with a substance abuse problem. “He struggled with that,” Rickey said on the March 2 episode of Today. “His mother [Rickey’s ex, Brenda Morris] and I tried to send him to get the help he needed, to send him to rehab. And we think he did better.

Rickey added: “He just joined a church, and he was just baptized, probably a month before he passed away. “He used it, and it killed him.” However, Rickey noted that the official cause of death has yet to be revealed. “We haven’t had any toxicology reports,” he said. “But this is just what we are speculating, according to his girlfriend, who found him unresponsive.”

While on Today shows, Rickey shared what happened when he got the call. “I’m in Dallas at my apartment, getting ready to watch [NFL] knockout match. His girlfriend called. She said, ‘text Brandon at this number or call him.’ So I called, no one answered, I called her back and said, ‘Is everything okay?’ She is crying. In her own words, she said he had OD’d. Rickey says the interaction happened at 10 o’clock, and there was a flight leaving Dallas for Birmingham, Alabama – where Brandon lives – in two hours. “I just grabbed my backpack and jumped on the plane.” However, as Rickey was about to “go out” to the airport, he received a call from Brandon’s sister, informing him that his son had passed away.

Rickey in 2012 (John Shearer/Invision/AP/Shutterstock)

Rickey used his appearance on Today show to talk about discussing substance abuse with people who may need help. “We have to talk,” he said. “I think parents are having a conversation. The point is to get the kids to listen to these conversations.”

“We just assumed that if you’re in a good school district, or you’re in a highly regulated community, or things are going well, these kids aren’t going to use drugs. drugs,” Rickey added. “You don’t have to be under the hood to fight drug abuse.”

“When that happens, you can never be prepared because it’s your child,” he concluded. “If anything makes me cry, it’s good to be able to get out of bed, to be able to perform my morning, to be able to protect the rest of my kids.”


If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline at 1- 800-662-4357.

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