How many kids does Rickey Smiley have? Comedian talks about losing son Brandon and discovering twin daughters existence

Fatherhood has been an emotional and special journey for Rickey Smiley. The comedian, known for his humour on the stage and radio, discussed his parenting experience and the responsibility of raising a family. Rickey Smiley was a father to six children until he lost his eldest son in January 2023.

Brandon, his eldest, had even followed in his dad's footsteps and had tried his luck at comedy. Brandon had struggled with addiction for years; his untimely passing away was caused by an accidental overdose involving fentanyl and ethanol.

Later, in a surprising turn of events, Rickey Smiley discovered in 2024 that he was the biological father of twin daughters, Allyson and Allyssa. He waited until January 2025 to share the news with the public, describing the discovery as deeply emotional and transformative. The comedian also has three adult children: D’Essence, Malik, and Aaryn.

Rickey Smiley opens up about grieving his son:

Reflecting on the painful loss, Smiley shared with Us Weekly,

“That grief was pretty hard. … That was the worst time of my entire life, but what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger, and we have to always trust God and know that if God brings you to it, he will carry you through it. And that you know if I never felt God’s presence ever a day in my life, I felt it when I lost my son. Because I knew that he was carrying me. Because I could not walk through that wilderness alone,” shared the comedian.

Rickey Smiley, who had once performed live shows with Brandon, now found comfort in the idea that his son was still with him every time he stepped on stage.

“And now I feel like I have my son on stage with me, And we are performing together. We actually did shows together. But, now when I go on stage, I feel like we are on stage together. I kinda know the kind of humor that my son really liked. And I try to give that kind of humor,” he shared.

Rickey Smiley finds hope after loss: surprise revelation brings twin daughters into his life

Rickey Smiley spoke candidly on the Smitty & Dee Podcast, where he shared that he had recently discovered he is the biological father of identical twin girls. It happened just before the one-year mark of losing his son Brandon, a time Smiley described as one of the darkest of his life. Then came a moment that changed everything.

Smiley described how the news of his daughters brought light back into his world.

"That's the first time I saw the sun again, during that dark hour, the sun came back out,"

Smiley explained that he had dated their mother after she ended a previous relationship. A court visit between her and her former partner, who had been raising the girls, revealed that Smiley was their biological father.

“We dated after she ended that relationship, come to find out, I have beautiful 5-year-old identical twin daughters that I am head over heels in love with,” he shared.

Despite only recently learning the truth, Smiley had known the girls through years of casual involvement with their mother. They’d even attended family gatherings, including parties with his grandson Grayson. Being around the twins, he shared, brought him moments of unexpected healing. The interruptions of parenthood, the small everyday demands, had helped him navigate the waves of grief and trauma.

“You're getting ready to cry about Brandon, and one of them is talking about (how) they want a snack, you're getting ready to cry about Brandon, and one of them says, ‘Hey, I've got to potty,’” he shared.

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Then, with quiet faith, he added:

“God don't make no mistakes. ... I can live off the perspective that I take in this whole situation, and (He) gave me some twins — not to replace Brandon, but (saying), ‘Here you go. Here's some joy.’”

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