07 February 2024 , 23:26
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Robert De Niro's life was filled with joy and sorrow over the past year after the Hollywood icon welcomed a baby daughter to the world, but tragically said goodbye to his grandson, who died aged 19.
The Killers of the Flower Moon star, 80, has now shared an intimate look into his family life, describing the bittersweet year he has faced. Just months after he celebrated becoming a dad of seven following the birth of Gia on April 6 last year with Tiffany Chen, tragedy hit the family with the news of Leandro's passing.
The 19-year-old, who was the son of Robert's daughter, Drena De Niro, 56, was found unresponsive in an apartment. It was later ruled the teen had died due to "toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine, and cocaine".
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Robert De Niro spoke to PEOPLE about his family life (MICHAEL SCHWARTZ)
Robert shared a snap with his adorable 10-month-old daughter (Photo courtesy of Robert De Niro)Now, just a week after Drena shared a heartbreaking post describing how "bleak and lonely" her world has been since her son's death, Robert has opened up on how he first heard the devastating news. Speaking to PEOPLE, he described his initial "disbelief".
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He said it was a shock that he had never envisaged happening. He continued: "I just then started thinking about all the things I could have, should have done maybe with him. I don't know if that would've made a difference. And so that's always playing through my mind. It shouldn't have happened."
Robert de Niro's grandson Leandro died aged 19 (Drena De Niro/Instagram)
Leandro was the son of Robert's daughter, Drena (Instagram/drenadeniro)An arrest was made weeks after the incident, but it's unclear on how the case has continued with no public updates having been made following an expected court appearance in July.
Away from the devastation, Robert admitted his baby daughter brings him "great joy". While the tot's arrival wasn't a planned one, the actor gushed over the experience of becoming a dad again over 50 years since he first welcomed a child to the world.
He proudly added: "She’s such an adorable baby. So sweet. When [I] look at her, everything else goes away. So it’s a great joy and relief to just be with her in the moment."
As well as Gia and Drena, Robert is dad to Raphael, 47, twins Julian and Aaron, 28, Elliot, 25, and Helen, 12.