Photos of Regina King and son Ian over the years

Many hearts are heavy at once as people think of actress Regina King and her family following the loss of her son, Ian Alexander Jr. News of the 26-year-old’s death got here from King early on Saturday morning (January 22), together with the star sharing with PEOPLE that her son “was such a bright light who cared so much about the happiness of others.” The most vital thing for him, it seems, was the king’s happiness. Since he was somewhat boy, he accompanied her on the red carpet as she worked to get her profession to where it’s now. He also watched her mix many roles with the most vital of all, being his mother.

“To be who you are and always have time to be there and love me and support me unconditionally is truly extraordinary,” he wrote in an ode to her on her birthday last January. “The whole wonderful universe doesn’t give a damn about you, yours [sic] a real superhero!”

She has stated in the past that being the parent of an “amazing young man” like Alexander has modified her perception of love. “You don’t know what unconditional love is. You can say yes, but if you don’t have a child, you don’t know what it is,” she told CNN many years ago. “But when you experience it, it’s the most satisfying thing ever. So that’s the greatest part of me. Being Ian’s mom.”

Our thoughts are definitely with King right now, but in addition with the beautiful mother-son relationship that we’ve got all been privileged to witness over the years. Below you possibly can see photos of some of the mother’s touching moments along with her son.

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Regina King and Ian Alexander Jr