In a heart-wrenching interview with “Good Morning America,” Academy Award-winning actress and director Regina King opened up about the devastating loss of her son, Ian Alexander Jr., who took his own life in January 2022 at the age of 26.
Speaking with GMA host Robin Roberts, King expressed the immense grief she has experienced since her son’s death and how it has profoundly changed her as a person:
“I’m a different person, you know, now than I was Jan. 19,” she shared. “Grief is a journey. I understand that grief is love that has no place to go.”
She continued:
“It’s important to me to honor Ian in the totality of who he is, speak about him in the present because he is always with me, the joy and happiness that he gave all of us.”
“I understand that grief is love that has no place to go. I know that it's important to me to honor Ian and the totality of who he is.”@ReginaKing speaks out to @robinroberts for the first time about her son’s death over two years ago. https://t.co/yIiTGItzCY pic.twitter.com/D2fXGdcauc
— Good Morning America (@GMA) March 14, 2024
The acclaimed actress also highlighted the importance of understanding mental health and respecting an individual’s choice in battling depressive thoughts. King stated:
“When it comes to depression, people expect it to look a certain way and they expect it to look heavy,” Regina said. “And people expect that … to have to experience this and not be able to have the time to just sit with Ian’s choice, which I respect and understand, you know, that he didn’t wanna be here anymore.”
“That’s a hard thing for other people to receive because they did not live our experience, did not live Ian’s journey.”
Regina discussed her ongoing struggle with guilt, an emotion that often consumes parents who have lost a child. She reflected on the questions that plague her mind, wondering if there was anything more she could have done to prevent her son’s tragic decision::
“Sometimes it’s a lot of guilt comes over me. When a parent loses a child you still wonder, what could I have done so that wouldn’t have happened?” confessed Regina.
Shortly after her son’s passing, Regina said, “I was so angry with God, why would that weight be given to Ian?”
“Of all of the things that we had gone through with the therapy, psychiatrists, programs. Ian was just like ‘I’m tired of talking Mom,’” she continued.
Regina says her favorite thing about her life is “is being Ian’s mom,” but she also admits this:
“And I can’t say that with a smile, with tears, with all of the emotions that come with that, I can’t do that if I did not respect the journey,” she said.
“I know that I share this grief with everyone, but no one else is Ian’s mom. Only me. And so, it’s mine and the sadness will never go away. It’ll always be with me,” she added.
Ian Alexander Jr.’s passing has left an indelible mark on Regina King’s life. She confessed that moments of laughter and smiles are intertwined with the sadness of his absence:
“Sometimes it’ll trigger just laughter. Most times, as of recent, it triggers a smile. But sometimes the absence, his absence, is really loud,” she shared.
In honor of her beloved son, King dedicated her latest film, “Shirley,” to his memory. She also wore orange, Ian’s favorite color, at the recent Academy Awards ceremony. Through her work and personal journey, King aims to keep her son’s spirit alive and raise awareness about mental health struggles.
Regina King’s candid interview provided a glimpse into the unimaginable pain that parents face after losing a child to suicide. It serves as a reminder to us all to prioritize understanding, empathy, and destigmatization of mental health issues in our society.
We humbly salute Regina for having the strength to publicly discuss the most painful tragedy of her life. Sending love and uplifting energy to this queen, as she continues to journey on. Ian Alexander Jr. may be gone, but will never be forgotten. Rest in power, king.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat live at 988lifeline.org, or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
