Will Smith is mourning the loss of his father, Willard Carroll Smith Jr.
On Monday, Nov. 7, Smith’s ex-wife, Sheree Fletcher, who was married to the actor from 1992 to 1995, shared the news when she posted a tribute to her former father-in-law via Instagram. She included a picture of Smith, his dad, the and former couple’s son, Trey, now 23.
Smith and his lovely wife, Jada Pinkett Smith have yet to comment on their loss.
Meanwhile, in the past, the 48-year-old credited his father, the owner of a refrigeration firm, for encouraging him to be hands-on with his children, despite his demanding career. “I look at my father and how he was able to keep four kids fed and clothed and still managed to find time to spend with us,” Smith once told People of his father, who with his wife Caroline raised the actor and his three siblings in West Philadelphia.
Advice the actor’s children, Willow, 16, and Jaden, 18, have admitted, he’s taken to heart. “Growing up, all I saw was my parents trying to be the best people they could be, and people coming to them for wisdom, coming to them for guidance, and them not putting themselves on a pedestal,” Willow told Interview magazine of her parents in August. “But literally being face-to-face with these people and saying, ‘I’m no better than you, but the fact that you’re coming to me to reach some sort of enlightenment or to shine a light on something, that makes me feel love and gratitude for you.’”
The “Why Don’t You Cry” singer continued, “What my parents have given to me is not anything that has to do with money or success or anything that society says people should be focusing on — it’s something spiritual that only certain people can grasp and accept,” she concludes. “And that’s how I act and move in the world today.”
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Smith family. Share your love and condolences in the comment section below.
