Regina King talks about her son’s death for the first time: ‘I am a different person’

Regina King’s son died two years ago, and the actress is talking about it for the first time.

In an interview with the 53-year-old star, she opened up about the grieving process after her son, Ian Alexander Jr., died by suicide in January 2022 at the age of 26.

“Grief is a journey,” King began. “You know, I’m a different person now than I was on January 19,” the Oscar winner told Robin Roberts. “Grief is a journey, you know? I understand that sadness is love that has nowhere to go.”

Alexander struggled with depression, which King developed during the interview.

“When it comes to depression, people expect it to look a certain way and that it will look hard,” she said. “And people expect that… they will must experience that and they don’t seem to be going to have the time to only settle for Ian’s selection, which I respect and understand, you realize he didn’t need to be here anymore, that is a hard thing for me other people could have received, because they didn’t pass though our experience, they didn’t pass though Ian’s journey.”

King also revealed that seeing her son struggle with mental health made her offended.

“I was very angry at God. Do you know why this importance was given to Ian?” she said. “After all the things we had been through in therapy and with psychiatrists and programs, Ian said, ‘Mom, I’m tired of talking,’” he recalled.

Two years after the death of her son, the actress admitted that she still couldn’t come to terms with the tragedy she experienced.

“You know, sometimes I feel a huge sense of guilt,” she said. “When a parent loses a child, you still ask yourself, ‘What could I have done to prevent this from happening?’”

She continued: “I know I share this sadness with everyone. But no one else is Ian’s mom, you know? Just me,” she continued. “So he’s mine. And the sadness will never go away. He will always be with me. And I think I saw somewhere that this sadness reminds me how much it means to me, you know?”

Alexander, who also DJed under the stage name Desdune, was King’s only child and he or she shared them with her ex-husband, Ian Alexander Sr.

Her son often accompanied her on the red carpet, and to honor him, she recently wore his favorite color, orange, to the Oscars.

King stated that she still feels her son’s presence and it manifests as “Ian’s inspirations” or transient moments from the universe that remind her that he’s here.

“I know it’s important to me to honor Ian for all of who he is,” she said. “Speak of him in the present because he is always with me and the joy and happiness he has given us all.”

She ended with a message she shared before his death that’s much more poignant now: “What I really like most about myself is being Ian’s mom, and I can say it with a smile, with tears and all the emotions that include it. I could not do it if I didn’t respect the journey.”

According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, African-American men commit suicide at greater than thrice the rate of African-American women. Young black boys are also in danger, on condition that the suicide rate amongst black children ages 10 to 19 has increased 60% over the past 20 years, higher than another racial or ethnic group.

If you or someone you realize is battling mental health issues and/or suicidal thoughts, you may contact: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, 24 hours a day.