For the first time since the tragic death of his son Brandon, Rickey Smiley explains what he and his family believe took the young man’s life.
During his Thursday, March 3 interview with Craig Melvin on “Today,” Smiley said he believes his son passed away after overdosing on drugs, something the son had struggled with since high school.
“I was in Dallas at my apartment getting ready to watch the playoffs. His girlfriend calls, she said ‘text Brandon at this number’ or call him. So I called, nobody answered, I call her back I say ‘is everything okay?’ she was crying. She said that he had ODed.”
In a blur, the comedian and host of the “Rickey Smiley Morning Show” said he raced to the airport to get to his son. However, along. the way, Brandon’s younger sister Taylor gave him the news that no parent ever wants to hear: Brandon Smiley had died.
“He was struggling with that [drugs]. His mother and I made several attempts to send him to get the help that he needed, send him to rehab. We thought that he was doing better, he had just joined the church, had just got baptized again probably a month before he passed away. He used and it killed him.”
Ricky Smiley and his family believe that Brandon’s death is related to an overdose.
“We haven’t got a toxicology report yet, so this is just what we’re speculating according to his girlfriend who found him unresponsive,” Smiley surmised.
The Alabama native continued, stating that anyone can be addicted to drugs, no matter their upbringing.
“Some of them are uncomfortable and we just assume if you’re in a good school district or you’re in a gated community or if everything is going good that these kids are not doing drugs,” Smiley said. “You don’t have to be in the hood to succumb to drug abuse.”
Brandon Smiley’s death by possible overdose is perplexing to fans of Rickey Smiley because he and the mother of Brandon Smiley have been sober their entire lives.
Rickey Smiley said God’s supernatural peace has steadied him during these dark days.
“I’m doing good. God kind of gave me a sense that I’m shocked but not surprised. I understand what’s out there. I understand what’s going on,” Smiley said on “Today.” “God kind of showed me some things. Deep inside [I] kind of prepared for it, at the same time you could never be prepared ‘cause that’s your child.”
