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NY Post
Page Six
2 Mar 2023


NextImg:Rickey Smiley believes late son overdosed after attempts to ‘send him to rehab’

Ricky Smiley believes his late son, Brandon, died of a drug overdose.

One month after losing the 32-year-old, the radio personality spoke to Craig Melvin on the “Today” show about why he and his family members are “speculating” Brandon “succumb[ed] to drug abuse.”

Smiley, 54, said in Thursday’s interview that his late child’s girlfriend called him after finding Brandon “unresponsive” on Jan. 29.

“She said that, in her words, that he had OD’d,” he shared.

The comedian recalled receiving a second phone call while preparing for a flight to Georgia, this time from his “crying” daughter Taylor, who also let him know about Brandon’s death.

Rickey Smiley explained why he and his family members think his late son died of an overdose.
Today

“He used, and it killed him,” he said.

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Smiley admitted he was “shocked but not surprised” by the tragedy, explaining that he had “prepared … deep inside” for the possibility as Brandon struggled with addiction for years.

Rickey Smiley and his son Brandon match in red shirts in throwback photo

The comedian made “several attempts” to send Brandon to rehab.
rickeysmileyofficial/Instagram

“His mother and I made several attempts to try to send him to get the help that he needed — send him to rehab,” he said.

“We thought that he as doing better. He had just joined the church, and he had just gotten baptized again, probably a month before he passed away.”

Rickey Smiley's son Brandon rides a horse

Brandon died in January.
comedianbrandonsmiley/Instagram

Rickey Smiley's son Brandon takes a selfie in a car in sunglasses

He was 32 years old.
comedianbrandonsmiley/Instagram

Rickey Smiley's son Brandon cuddles daughter Storm

The aspiring comedian is survived by daughter Storm.
comedianbrandonsmiley/Instagram

Smiley added that he does not “know why” or “how” Brandon became addicted to drugs, as his immediate family members are “all clean and sober.”

“We just assume that if you’re in a good school district or you’re in a gated community or everything is going good that these kids are not doing drugs,” he said. “You don’t have to be in the hood.”

When the famed prankster revealed Brandon’s death via Instagram in January, he requested prayers for Brandon’s mother, Brenda Morris, as well as his daughter, Storm.

“My granddaddy went through this s–t with my dad, and somehow, here I am going through the same thing my grandparents went through,” he said at the time.

Rickey Smiley's son Brandon poses in graphic tee and fedora

Rickey mourned his “prankster” son on “Today.”
comedianbrandonsmiley/Instagram

The following month, Smiley told his social media followers that just because he has returned to work does not mean he is “not sad.”

The “Rickey Smiley Show” host clarified that he is “doing the best [he] can” while mourning Brandon.