One year after her son Ian Alexander Jr.’s passing, Regina King posted a tribute to him on Instagram.
In honor of what would have been her son’s 27th birthday, the actress and filmmaker posted a moving video of an orange lantern floating in the night sky on Thursday.
The social media post is the 52-year-old’s first since his death.
“January 19th is Ian’s Worthday. As we still process his physical absence, we celebrate his presence,” wrote King. “We are all in different places on the planet…so is Ian. His spirit is the thread that connects us. Of course orange is your favorite color…Its the fire and the calm. I see you in everything I breath. My absolute favorite thing about myself is being ….Regina the mother of Ian the GodKing. Continue to shine bright,my guiding light.
Ian Alexander Jr. died by suicide in January 2022, days after his 26th birthday. Alexander was Regina King’s only child from her marriage to record producer Ian Alexander Sr. The two divorced in 2007 after 10 years of marriage.
Alexander Jr. performed as a musician and DJ under the stage name Desduné. He and his mother shared a close relationship with matching tattoos that read “unconditional love” in Aramaic.
“Our family is devastated at the deepest level by the loss of Ian,” shared Regina King at the time of his death. “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.”