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Regina King has spoken out for the first time about the death of her son Ian.
The Oscar-winning actress opened up to Good Morning America's Robin Roberts on Thursday about how she is coping with the loss of her son Ian Alexander Jr., who died by suicide in January 2022 aged 26.
"I'm a different person now than I was January 19th (2022). I am," she began. "Grief is a journey, you know. I understand that grief is love that has no place to go. I know that it's important to me to honour Ian in the totality of who he is, speak about him in the present, because he is always with me and the joy and happiness that he gave all of us."
King, 53, revealed that she "respect(s) and understand(s)" Ian's decision because she witnessed his battle with depression first-hand.
"To have to experience this and not be able to have the time to just sit with Ian's choice, which I respect and understand, that he didn't want to be here anymore, and that's a hard thing for other people to receive because they did not live our experience, did not live Ian's journey," she emotionally said.
The If Beale Street Could Talk star admitted she was "so angry with God" for giving "that weight" to her only child, revealing that he became "tired of talking" to therapists and psychiatrists.
While she understands Ian's decision, King sometimes struggles with guilt and acceptance.
"When a parent loses a child, you still wonder, 'What could I have done so that wouldn't have happened?'" she confessed. "I know that I share this grief with everyone, but no one else is Ian's mum, you know? Only me. So it's mine. And the sadness will never go away. It will always be with me."
King has dedicated her new film, Shirley, to Ian, whom she shared with her ex-husband, record producer Ian Alexander Sr.
The Oscar-winning actress opened up to Good Morning America's Robin Roberts on Thursday about how she is coping with the loss of her son Ian Alexander Jr., who died by suicide in January 2022 aged 26.
"I'm a different person now than I was January 19th (2022). I am," she began. "Grief is a journey, you know. I understand that grief is love that has no place to go. I know that it's important to me to honour Ian in the totality of who he is, speak about him in the present, because he is always with me and the joy and happiness that he gave all of us."
King, 53, revealed that she "respect(s) and understand(s)" Ian's decision because she witnessed his battle with depression first-hand.
"To have to experience this and not be able to have the time to just sit with Ian's choice, which I respect and understand, that he didn't want to be here anymore, and that's a hard thing for other people to receive because they did not live our experience, did not live Ian's journey," she emotionally said.
The If Beale Street Could Talk star admitted she was "so angry with God" for giving "that weight" to her only child, revealing that he became "tired of talking" to therapists and psychiatrists.
While she understands Ian's decision, King sometimes struggles with guilt and acceptance.
"When a parent loses a child, you still wonder, 'What could I have done so that wouldn't have happened?'" she confessed. "I know that I share this grief with everyone, but no one else is Ian's mum, you know? Only me. So it's mine. And the sadness will never go away. It will always be with me."
King has dedicated her new film, Shirley, to Ian, whom she shared with her ex-husband, record producer Ian Alexander Sr.