Robert De Niro’s grandson Leandro dies aged 19 as his mother Drea pays tribute to her ‘beautiful sweet angel’
Leandro, the grandson of Robert De Niro, has died at the age of 19.
Leandro was the son of De Niro’s adopted daughter Drena, who paid tribute to her late son in a heartfelt Instagram post on Monday.
She didn’t reveal his cause of death, but shared a photo of her son and a poignant caption declaring, “I wish only love 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 stomach.
“You have been my joy, my heart and everything that was ever pure and real in my life. I wish I was with you now. I wish I was with you.’
Heartbreaking: Robert De Niro’s grandson Leandro has passed away aged 20 as his mother Drena paid tribute to her son in an Instagram post on Monday
Drena continued, “I don’t know how to live without you, but I will try to carry on and spread the love and light that you made me feel this way when I became your mother.
“You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish only love could have saved you. I’m so sorry my baby, I’m so sorry @carlosmare. Rest in Peace and Paradise Eternal my dear boy.’
Drena’s friend responded to the post, “Drena don’t tell me it’s true, tell me you’re joking because I can’t believe Leo isn’t with us anymore. It’s terrible news to digest. Drena my heart is with you and Carlos and your loved ones – I love you ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️’
To which she replied, “I know I’m still hoping this is a nightmare and I’ll wake up tomorrow.”
Drena was adopted by De Niro and took his last name after the actor married her mother, Diahnne Abbott, in 1976.
She lived a relatively transient lifestyle thanks to her father’s vibrant career, dividing her time between New York City, Los Angeles, and Italy.
The now 51-year-old left school and decided to explore the arts, turning her hand to a slew of career paths including model, DJ and fashion consultant.
She eventually decided to follow in De Niro’s footsteps and quickly found her footing as an actress and filmmaker.
Tragic loss: Leandro was the son of De Niro’s adopted daughter Drena (pictured in 2016)
Parents: De Niro adopted Diahnne Abbott’s daughter after the couple married in 1976 (pictured together in New York in 1977)
Her first role was in Allison Anders’s Grace of My Heart in 1996 and she went on to star in several of her father’s films, including 1999’s On The Run, 2002’s City By The Sea, and 2002’s Showtime.
De Niro split with Drena’s mother in 1988, but the Hollywood A-lister nevertheless remained in her life.
She made De Niro a grandfather in 2003 when she welcomed son Leandro with her then-boyfriend Carlos Rodriguez.
Drena, who currently lives in New York, has since turned her attention to directing and also describes herself as trained in Muay Thai and martial arts.