Slade Smiley's son died following a battle with cancer. He was 22.
Gretchen Rossi is remembering her stepson. On Tuesday, the Real Housewives of Orange County alum shared a series of videos, featuring Slade Smiley's late son, Grayson Smiley-Arroyo, and her and Slade's 3-year-old daughter, Skyler, sharing a special moment. In the clips posted to Instagram, Grayson sits on a bed surrounded by toys as his little sister hands him different items.
Together, the siblings play while their parents record the sweet moment. Rossi captioned the post, "💔 We love you Gray."
Rossi also took to her Instagram Story to share a message for everyone who reached out.
"We cannot say thank you enough to our friends and family (which includes all of you on here) for the hundreds of messages, DMs, texts, & emails," she wrote. "Thank you to our dear friends for the flowers and food and offers to help with Sky. It all means so very much during this difficult time."
Grayson died following a long battle with cancer. He was 22.
On Tuesday, Rossi took to her Instagram to share that Grayson had passed.
"Our rational minds told us this day might come, but our hearts always held onto the hope that this day would not come to fruition 💔 We are beyond devastated and heartbroken over the loss of Gray. 😔 Grayson Arroyo-Smiley was such a special human being," she wrote next to a post that led with a photo of Grayson kissing his father.
"He was an Angel on this earth and an incredible warrior…a warrior like no one has ever seen before. He fought everyday through his pain and discomfort to find joy in the smallest of things. He was always singing & dancing & laughing despite his circumstances."
She continued, "He was a true beacon of light and hope. Although his life was cut short on earth he made an incredible impact on so many people. The Lord knew his life had purpose and would touch many along the way. We are forever grateful for the many lessons learned from this little man, and will miss his beautiful spirit immensely. May the Lord hold him in his hands, renew his broken body, and give him life again. 🙏🏻 This isn’t goodbye but rather see you soon little man…..We love you Grayson. You will forever be in our hearts ❤️. Love your Dad, Gretchen & your sister Skylar Gray (Please respect our privacy as we mourn this unbearable loss)."
Grayson’s mother, Michelle Arroyo, took to her respective Instagram to also honor her son.
"I’m heart broken to share that my sweet Gray passed away Sunday night," Michelle shared in part, detailing the circumstances leading up to his death. "His heart stopped here at home and I performed chest compressions to get it going until the paramedics arrived and took over. When he left for the hospital he looked good and was breathing on his own but his heart gave out again at the hospital. I don’t have all the answers now, but I do know that the last few months with fevers, infection, and low potassium most likely took a toll on my sweet boys heart."
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