Who Are Robert De Niro's 4 Grandchildren?
Robert de Niro officially became a father of seven when he welcomed his youngest daughter Gia Virginia with partner Tiffany Chen. The actor, best known for his roles in films such as "The Irishman" and "The Godfather Part II," has two children from his marriage to ex-wife Diahnne Abbott: daughter Drena and son Raphael. He also has twin sons with his ex-girlfriend Toukie Smith named Aaron and Julian. Additionally, de Niro welcomed two kids with his second wife, Grace Hightower: son Elliot and daughter Helen. De Niro has spoken out about the challenges of being a parent in several interviews. "Sometimes I don't think people really know what being a good father is. ... You know you have a responsibility," he told Access Hollywood in 2023. "But look, it's a mystery. It's a lot of excitement but scary and you do your best."
In addition to being a proud dad, the "Taxi Driver" star is also a grandfather of four children: Leandro, who was born to Drena and her ex-partner Carlos Rodriguez in 2003, as well as Nicholas, Gabriella, and Alexandria, whom Raphael shares with his first wife, Claudine. In a devastating twist, Leandro died on July 2, 2023, after suffering an accidental drug overdose. He was 19 years old. In a statement, de Niro said he was deeply saddened by the tragic loss and asked for their family's privacy as they mourned Leo's death. He later reflected on his heartbreak in a candid interview with People, admitting how deeply the loss affected him.
Leandro's death left him reeling
Robert de Niro continues to mourn the death of his grandson Leandro de Niro almost one year after his untimely passing. In his February 2024 cover story interview with People, the "Dirty Grandpa" star opened up about his initial reaction when he learned that his oldest grandson had died of a fatal overdose. "It's just a shock," he said. "[I] never thought it would happen." Even now, de Niro said he still couldn't wrap his head around the loss. "It shouldn't have happened," he said, adding that he was always thinking of the moments he could've spent with Leandro. "I don't know if that would've made a difference. And so that's always playing through my mind."
In a heartbreaking post in February, Drena also reflected on the tragedy and said that she hasn't known peace ever since her son passed away. "Today marks 7 bleak & lonely months since you left this world. 7 months full of tears, anger, sadness and regret," she wrote. "Life is completely empty without you." She then expressed how much she misses him and craves his presence. "I love you more than all the words in the human vocabulary can convey," Drena told Leandro. "My only comfort in this nightmare is that I know you always knew that."
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Gabriella has Type 1 diabetes
One of Robert de Niro's granddaughters suffers from a chronic illness. Gabriella de Niro, who was born in 2011 to de Niro's son, Raphael, and his ex-wife Claudine, has lived with Type 1 diabetes since she was three years old. In an interview with fashion brand Veronica Beard, Claudine opened up about her daughter's journey with diabetes and how her diagnosis has changed their lives forever. "Ella had been experiencing all the classic symptoms of Type 1 diabetes and despite numerous doctor visits, she had never been diagnosed. We made a simple excuse for everything she was experiencing: for example, she was eating so much and grew taller, but lost weight – so I thought she was thinning out from her toddler years," Claudine said.
It wasn't until January 2015, months before her fourth birthday, that doctors were able to diagnose Ella after her blood sugar test result came back as 800 (the normal range is somewhere between 70 and 100). At the same time, they also learned that she has Celiac, a condition caused by an immune reaction to gluten, according to Mayo Clinic. "[It was a] Double whammy... I had no idea what we were in for," Claudine said. Despite her struggles, Ella remains a wonderful child and warrior. She turned 13 years old last March 1. "She is the bravest little girl I know and I want her to feel proud and strong and not ashamed of anything," Claudine said of her daughter.