Robert De Niro and his family circled their wagons around each other as they laid the actor’s grandson to rest on Saturday, July 8 in New York. The Oscar winner, 79, was spotted hugging his eldest daughter Drena De Niro during the burial of her 19-year-old son Leandro “Leo” De Niro-Rodriguez, as seen in photos here via Page Six. Leo reportedly died of an overdose on July 2.
The tender father-daughter moment came as Leo’s casket was was carried out of Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home on the Upper East Side. Robert wore a classic black suit as he was escorted by security into the funeral home, with Drena in tow alongside her husband and the father of Leo, graffiti artist Carlos Rodriguez. Drena was adopted by Robert when he married her mother, actress Diahnne Abbott, in 1976.
The burial ceremony came a day after Robert was joined by a bevy of his famous friends to pay respect to Leo at the funeral services. Christopher Walken and mega music producer Tommy Mottola were there for support, as well as White Lotus and Sopranos star, Michael Imperioli. Robert’s girlfriend Tiffany Chen, with whom he welcomed a new baby in April, was also in attendance.
On Monday, Drena took to her Instagram to announce the tragic death of Leo. “My beautiful sweet angel. I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly,” she wrote alongside a beautiful photo of the young man. “You have been my joy my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life. I wish I was with you right now.”
Drena went on to claim Leo died from an overdose, even though the toxicology report is still pending. “Someone sold him fentanyl-laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him,” Drena wrote on Instagram. “So for all these people still f****** around selling and buying this s***, my son is gone forever.”
The Raging Bull star publicly mourned his grandson in an emotional statement one day after Leo’s death. “I’m deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo,” the actor said in a statement directly to HollywoodLife on July 3. “We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo.”
