Regina King’s Son, Musician Ian Alexander Jr., Dies By Suicide At 26

Regina King's son and only child, Ian Alexander Jr. has died by suicide, just a few days after his 26th birthday. "Our family is devastated at the deepest level by the loss of Ian," King said in a statement according to PEOPLE. "He is such a bright light who cared so deeply about the happiness of others. Our family asks for respectful consideration during this private time. Thank you." Alexander Jr., who turned 26 on Jan. 19, was a musician and DJ. He is King's only child with her ex-husband, record producer Ian Alexander Sr. who was married to the actress for nearly a decade before they divorced in 2007.

King previously told PEOPLE that her son was "an amazing young man." The actress admitted that being a single parent after her separation wasn't easy but her love for her son pushed her through. "You don't know what unconditional love is. You may say you do, but if you don't have a child, you don't know what that is," she explained at the time. "When you experience it, it's the most fulfilling [thing] ever."

For his mom's 50th birthday, the 26-year-old had shared an Instagram post writing: Happy birthday to my co, so extremely proud of you and inspired by your love, artistry, and gangsta! To be able to watch you take this lifetime by its neck and make it yours is something i will forever be grateful for. But to have you as my mother is the greatest gift I could ask for. To be all that you are while always having the time to be there, love and support me unconditionally is truly remarkable. The whole marvel universe ain’t got shit on you, your the real superhero! Love you mom! This day and everyday YO DAY!!

In a 2015 interview with Vulture, King said her relationship with her son was the most important thing in her life, even overtaking star roles. “I’m not missing out on his life,” she said, also revealing that the pair had matching tattoos in Aramaic which read "unconditional love". King had hers on her arm while her son had his on his shoulder. “His is huge, from his elbow to his wrist,” she said, laughing as she recalled her son telling her: 'No, you can’t get that size, Mom!' King’s matching tattoo is smaller and on her forearm. "We were taking Kabbalah classes," King said of the tattoo on The View in 2017. "He said, let's choose three [designs] each and not tell each other which ones they are and whichever one is matching, that's the one we're going to get tattooed—and we both chose unconditional love."

Ian has often called his mother, who has won an Oscar and four Emmy Awards, a "super mom." "She's just a super mom," he told E! News in 2019. "She doesn't really let bad workdays or anything come back and ruin the time that we have. It's really awesome to have a mother who I can enjoy spending time with." King added that Ian made her "happier than anything in the whole world."

 If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is, please contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)