Robert De Niro‘s daughter Drena has broken her silence in a deeply emotional post from the Vatican just two weeks after five people were arrested in connection with the overdose death of her 19-year-old son, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez.
The 58-year-old actress and filmmaker revealed she had met Pope Leo XIV while in Rome, writing that the encounter left her ‘filled with gratitude’ and convinced that her late son’s spirit was with her throughout the trip.
‘I may never find the words to describe the fullness in my heart,’ Drena wrote in a moving Instagram post on Sunday.
‘To stand in His Holiness’s presence and aura in a room filled with so much love and kindness is an honor that will stay with me for the rest of my days.’
Drena then went on to explain how her son’s spirit was seemingly with them throughout their journey to the Vatican.
‘My little Leo has been showering us with so many signs of his constant presence this entire trip,’ she said.
‘His love for his family, his mischievousness, his playfulness … my mantilla falling off every time his Holiness came near me (I almost felt him knocking it off and laughing as I silently freaked out and kept putting it back on my head), the inability for the first 30 seconds for several grown men and myself to do nothing but giggle and smile, the strange nagging reminder to make sure my pearl charm was on my chain, forgetting to bring my rosary and that little voice that says ‘it’s OK. You don’t need it’ and then to be gifted with a blessed rosary of pearls ….all Leo.’
She described the moment Pope Leo accepted her small gift and offered his blessing.
Pope Leo XIV poses for a photo with actor Robert De Niro and his daughter Drena at the Vatican on Friday
Leandro was the only son of De Niro’s adopted daughter Drena, 58. They are pictured together
Drena posted several images and video of her time at the Vatican alongside her father
‘The warmth and kindness in Pope Leo’s eyes when he accepted my small token of reverence and affection, asking that my son remain in his presence and grace. I was given this blessing not only in my Leo’s memory, but in acknowledgment of all the young beautiful lives that have been taken too soon,’ she wrote.
Drena ended the post with a message of faith and love for both her father and her son.
‘I’m so shamelessly filled with gratitude to my family here in Rome, my dad, my darling Julian, and all who made this possible. With love and gratitude always to the 2 most divine Leo’s I’ve ever met, may we all know your peace, higher power and mission one day #PopeLeoXIV #CantSpellLoveWithoutLeo.’
Her post comes in the wake of a major breakthrough in the investigation into her son’s 2023 death.
On October 30, prosecutors announced the arrests of five men, Grant McIver, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas, accused of running a New York City drug ring that supplied counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl to teenagers and young adults.
According to the federal indictment, the group allegedly distributed thousands of fake prescription pills.
One of the victims, identified as ‘victim 3,’ matches the details of Leandro De Niro Rodriguez who was found dead inside a $950,000 apartment in the Cipriani Club Residences on Wall Street on July 2, 2023.
The court filing alleges that a female dealer, identified as ‘CC-1,’ sold Leandro ‘a mix of fentanyl pills and Xanax’ in the week leading up to his death and even warned him to be cautious.
The legendary actor’s grandson, Leandro, died at the age of 19 in New York City. A white powdery substance was found on a plate near his body. (Pictured: De Niro and Leandro)
The legendary actor’s grandson, Leandro, died at the age of 19 in New York City on July 2, 2023. A white powdery substance was found on a plate near his body. The above photograph from the indictment released this week is an evidence photograph from victim 3’s file
Pope Leo XIV spend time Robert De Niro and held a private audience with him at the Vatican
Robert De Niro’s daughter, Drena, seen left, mets with Pope Leo at the Vatican on Friday
Another angle captures De Niro speaking with The Pope on Friday
De Niro’s grandson Leandro died in 2023 (pictured with his mother Drena and grandfather)
Drena was in a reminiscing mood as she posted photos and video of Leandro from his younger years
‘I don’t want to kill you,’ she allegedly texted him, adding: ‘Do u rly need them… Ion wanna kill you (sic).’
When Leandro appeared confused, replying, ‘Huh? Elaborate,’ the dealer wrote back: ‘What’s confusing abt that?’ He responded: ‘Sorry I b mad paranoid … I misinterpreted this,’ to which she replied, ‘I j(ust) don’t like serving them cuz they not script (prescription).’
Leandro ultimately purchased three fentanyl pills and two Xanax for $105.
The drugs were delivered by car service to a friend’s downtown apartment on June 30. At 1:50am on July 2, the dealer texted him ‘u good?’ He never responded.
Later that morning, Leandro was found lifeless in a chair with a plate of white powder beside him.
Authorities say the same ring also supplied the pills that killed Akira Stein, 19, the daughter of Blondie guitarist Chris Stein, who is listed as ‘victim 1’ in the indictment.
A separate dealer known as the ‘Percocet Princess,’ 20-year-old Sophia Haley Marks, was charged last year with selling the fatal pills to Leandro.
The New York City Medical Examiner ruled his death an accident caused by toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine and cocaine.
The group had time to take plenty of photos following a private audience with the Pope
The family posed alongside some of the staff members at the Vatican
Drena posted a picture of a prayer card she had made for her son
Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, 19, was the son of De Niro’s adopted daughter Drena, 58
At the time, Robert De Niro issued a short statement saying, ‘I’m deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo. We’re greatly appreciative of the condolences from everyone.’
The building’s concierge remembered the young man as friendly and polite.
‘I’d see him every now and then, and he’d always say hi,’ he told the Daily Mail. ‘He just was friendly, kept to himself. It’s a tragedy. You see his picture, he was a baby.’
