Actress Debi Mazar has shared a heartfelt tribute to Leandro “Leo” De Niro-Rodriguez, the grandson of Robert De Niro who died at the age of 19 over the weekend. “This one is so hard.. Leandro De Niro Rodriguez. May you rest in eternal peace,” Debi, 58, who is a good friend of Leo’s mother, Drena De Niro (the eldest of Robert’s seven kids), began in a July 5 Instagram post which included several throwback photos that included Drena, Leo, and Debi’s own kids. “What a beautiful,smart ,young man,” she continued. “I’ve been at loss for words as I can’t imagine him taken,and the loss that (I can’t even comprehend) his parents, @drenadeniro @carlosmare & their families are going through right now.”
“I’m so sorry.Leo was so loved.Our NYC gang ,we all came up together & had babies around the same time.This loss has shaken our community,” Debi added. “I love you Drena and Carlos.We are all here for you.”
Drena, 55, confirmed Leo’s death on Sunday, July 2 via Instagram. “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,” her heartbreaking message began.
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.” She then apologized to her son and his father, artist Carlos Rodriguez. “Rest in Peace and Eternal Paradise my darling boy,” Drena concluded. She later confirmed that he died from “fentanyl-laced pills”.
The Goodfellas star, 79, broke his silence on Leo’s death on July 3. “I’m deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo,” he said in a statement to HollywoodLife. “We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.”
Instead of celebrating Independence Day, Drena shared another tribute to her late son on July 4 and thanked friends and family for their support. “I can barely type through my tears but all the love , the messages , calls , texts ,emails, the friends and family that held me up these last 24 hrs I’ve not been able to respond yet but we’re grateful for the all your love and condolences,” she wrote alongside a beautiful pic of Leo innocently smiling. “None of this is right or fair and my heart hurts in a way I never knew possible while still breathing and barely functioning .”
She then went on to address Leo directly. “Leo my darling I love you today like the first day I held you in my arms. The same man that picked us up from the hospital when you were born drove us to the funeral home where I touched and held you for the last time,” Drena continued in her gut-wrenching tribute. “You were kindness acceptance and love and I can’t believe any of this is real YOU made everything bearable and every burden lighter. You didn’t deserve to die like this but I can only believe that God needed a strong powerful angel in their army . I’m holding you every second of every moment I’m my heart and memories until I’m with you again .”