Robert De Niro is said to be struggling following the loss of his grandson Leandro earlier this month.
The 19 year old was found dead on July 2, with death being described as sudden and unexpected. While Robert has stayed relatively quiet about the situation in public, it's said he is finding it extremely hard to process.
In a previous statement the actor had said: "I'm deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo. We're greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone. We ask that we please be given privacy to grieve our loss of Leo."
And while attending his grandson's wake, he looked 'sombre' as he was supported by close friends and family.
Now, a source close to Robert has told RadarOnline: “Bob had a real fondness for Leo. He's retreated to a very dark place. Everyone's praying he finds the strength he needs to carry on."
Leandro was one of four grandchildren the actor had. All of his grandchildren typically stay out of the public's eye, including Leandro. However, that may have been changing before his death with the teen having had roles in both Cabaret Maxime and A Star is Born in 2018. According to RadarOnline's source, Robert was "confident the kid was going places".
The source continued: "He’d already had a few roles in movies, and Bob encouraged him whenever he could."
Robert welcomed his daughter, Gia, into the world just two months before his grandson's death. He announced his child with excitement to ET Canada and said that the pregnancy was planned. This is the seventh of his children, with Leandro's mother, Drena, being the oldest at 51.
Leandro's cause of death has not yet been confirmed by officials. However, his mother says that it was the result of "fentanyl laced pills." She claims that the person who sold Leandro the pills knew they "were laced yet still sold them to him." Police are still investigating.
According to reports, he was found dead with "a white powdery substance on a plate near his body." There were no signs of trauma, according to the DailyMail.
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