While Brandon Smiley’s autopsy report did not clarify the cause of death, according to the sources, Rickey Smiley believes his son died as a result of a drug overdose. Ricky shared his belief during a Thursday interview with Craig Melvin on the show “Today.”
He stated that his late child’s girlfriend informed him when she found Brandon “unresponsive” on Jan. 29 by telling him he had an “overdose.”
While no official conclusion has yet been made as to the cause of death, Ricky and his family believe, based on evidence in their possession, that this is the most likely culprit.
Comedian Smiley recalled being in shock when he received a call from his daughter Taylor, telling him that Brandon, his son, had died of substance abuse.
He was on a plane bound for Georgia, but couldn’t bring himself to board after hearing this devastating news. Over the years, Smiley, with the help of his wife, had tried countless times to get Brandon the help he needed; however, none of the treatments seemed to work.
In the end, the addiction won out and he overcame Brandon, who was only 31 at the time and was hired way too early. Despite numerous attempts to break free from the clutches of addiction, Brandon’s life ended tragically.
Brandon’s story is a reminder that addiction can affect anyone, regardless of socioeconomic background. Smiley, who was close to the young man, noted that his family believed he was doing better when he joined the Church and was baptized about a month before his untimely death.
This tragedy speaks to the idea that one should never assume that someone is excluded from an illness or substance use disorder just because they seem to have good support systems or even outwardly “succeeded” in life.
The bottom line is that addiction is unpredictable and does not discriminate on economic level, age, gender, race, or any other variable.
Rickey Smiley, the famous prankster and host of “The Rickey Smiley Show,” sadly had to endure the death of his son Brandon in January. In an effort to honor the memory of his late son, he asked for heartfelt prayers for himself and for Brandon’s mother, Brenda Morris, and their daughter Storm.
When asked how he was doing while also grieving, he revealed that his grandparents had gone through a similar experience with his father and here again he experienced a deep sense of loss.
With grief still heavy on his heart and yet a strong desire to get back to work, Smiley clarified that despite being back to work, he was ‘not fine’ but was doing his best during these incredibly difficult times .
