Regina King Honors Her Late Son, Ian, On His First Death Anniversary: “My Guiding Light”
Regina King has taken to Instagram to honor her late son, Ian Alexander Jr., on the first anniversary of his death.
In an emotional Instagram post, Regina captioned a photo of her with Ian, “My sun, my stars…Happy Heaven Day, Ian. Your spirit is alive and I feel you every day. You’re my guiding light.”
The If Beale Street Could Talk star had kept her son’s passing relatively private. She shared the news approximately two months after his death in an October 2019 post, in which she called Ian an “Earth Angel”.
Ian died in September 2019 at the age of 20 due to a chronic illness. He was Regina’s child with her ex-husband, Ian Alexander Sr.
King also has a 22-year-old son, affectionately known as ‘Little Zero’, with ex-husband, Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
Support From Family, Friends and Fans
Since sharing a tribute to her late son, friends, family and fans of Regina King sent supportive words and condolences on Instagram.
Friends, such as Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer, commented on the post, saying, “My love and light, love you, Re.”
Grammy Award-winning singer Alicia Keys also posted on Regina’s Instagram, writing “Love you sis.”
The Necessity of Grief
In spite of the difficulties of grieving, the lost of a loved one is a necessary process to come to terms with our loss.
Grief permits us to search for meaning and connection, and to assist us in processing the emotions that accompany any life transition.
Here’s some ways in which you can support someone who’s grieving:
- Listen without judgment.
- Offer comfort and assurance.
- Be available.
- Validate their feelings.
- Allow them to take their time.
As people like Regina King continue to honor those they’ve lost, it’s important to be supportive and understanding of those who are grieving. It’s considered an essential process in managing the drastic life transitions that come with loss.
Regina King Honors Late Son on First Anniversary of His Death
Regina King is remembering her late son, Ian Alexander Jr., on the first anniversary of his death.
The Oscar-winning actress, 50, took to Instagram on Thursday to share an emotional post dedicated to her beloved son.
In the image, King cannot be seen, but her son’s hands are seen sweating and standing on a dais. The post includes a touching caption in which King said her son was her “guiding light”.
What did Regina King say?
“This is my guiding light,” she wrote. “One year ago I said bye. See you later to my son. Happy first anniversary of your ascension Ian Alexander Jr. MIA no more.”
King went on to share how she celebrated one year since his passing, writing: “Today included me listening to some of your music, meditating, laughing and crying….all at once. I love you.”
Ian’s death
Ian’s death last year at the age of 28 shook King, who had raised her son alongside her ex-husband Ian Alexander Sr., since his birth in 1992.
The cause of his death was not revealed. King had previously opened up about her son’s battle with addiction and prison time in the past.
In a June 2019 Instagram post, King wrote, “My beloved son. The one thing I know for sure is you were loved — Your life served as an example of how to love, how to give and how to forgive.”
A new way of honoring her son
King is honoring her late son in a new way as of late as well. The actress announced in December that she named her production company Royal Ties, which is also Ian’s full name.
“It’s because of a royal tie that I have to a special someone that I love dearly,” she said at the time. “Someone who’s no longer here with me… Ian Alexander Jr.”
For her part, the “Watchmen” star founded the company to amplify marginalized voices. “My goal is to tell stories that represent all of us,” she said in a statement.
King’s Lasting Tribute To Her Late Son
King’s lasting tribute to her son continues to be an inspiration to her fans. Many of them commented on her post expressing their condolences.
“My heart aches for you and your family’s loss,” one fan wrote, while another added, “You and your family are in our prayers. What a beautiful memory you’ve created of Ian here.”
King, who was recently nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the film One Night in Miami, will continue to honor her son, who she said was always a source of light and inspiration for her.