Most of us grew up watching the teenager on the small screen who rocked a full head of soft framing layers hairdo and crushed on Calvin, the grandson of Pearl, played by Curtis Baldwin. Simpler times.

I have always admired Regina for how her career continued well past being a child actress. She didn’t appear to fall into the trappings most young stars do; front-page tabloid, drugs, alcohol, family feuds, and dwindling finances post-show stardom. Whatever she may have experienced from the 80s and beyond didn’t become everyone else’s business in her private life. It is that thought which, if I write anything about her only child Ian Alexander Jr.’s passing, I do so with respect, right down to how I tend to this message. He was 26 (his birthday was on Jan. 19.) A musician and a DJ. Her baby.

Someone, I can’t remember who at this time, said when reporting or posting about the topic of one taking their own life, be careful to “bring awareness to a situation without influencing others.” The phrase I now see as an assiduous expression I will take hold, especially looking upon headline after headline with the stinging “By Suicide.” Regina’s son Ian is no longer here. It is heartbreaking. I lift her up in spirit, not without really knowing how she feels, but I am a #boymom, and I hug her from where I am. For those reasons and more, I don’t want to share the label vicariously to ignite the imaginations of people living with mental illness influenced by the actions of a young soul (who I wish were still here) whose mother happens to be a Hollywood star.

Brenda Jenkins and Regina King. I likened the small screen and real-life personas to beautiful, intelligent, talented women that carried themselves well. She has always been at the top of the list of people to interview. I enjoy the Academy and Emmy award-winning actress directing, producing, and talking about how her Grandmother kept such soft skin in the Vaseline commercial and her laid-back vibe in the 2021 Cadillac Escalade promotion. Sure Regina’s acting resume is long with other memorable roles, but for what I write here, all I can think about is her saying ‘Mom’ on a sitcom I still love watching to this day, and to her real-life mother hoping she would still be able to hear the same right now from the young man, she says is a “bright light who cared so deeply about the happiness of others” her son. I am wrapping my arms around you, Regina King.

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