The Oscar winner revealed her 26-year-old son, Ian Alexander Jr., died on Saturday.
Vivica A. Fox is sharing an update on her friend and peer, Regina King. On Monday, the host of the Fox Soul series Cocktails With Queens opened up to her fellow hosts after visiting with King over the weekend, where she reconnected with the Oscar-winning actress and witnessed the "outpouring of love" King has received since breaking the news of her son, Ian Alexander Jr.'s, death.
“I was with Regina last night and she's OK,” Fox shared, explaining that she visited King after receiving a text telling her King wanted to see her. “I was able to hug her... I just had to go see my friend, my sister. On the way there I had to call and ask people, 'What do you say? I'm scared. I don’t want to say something wrong.'"
Tearing up, Fox recalled that King was "strong," when she saw her and seemed to be holding up well through her immense grief. "More than anything else," Fox said, she was glad to hug King and "look in her eyes."
"She said to tell everybody that she's gotten ya'll's texts. The outpouring of love for her, her family, her son, she appreciates it," Fox shared. "...She's surrounded by so much love, y'all. That was the beautiful thing, that when I got there, our community is right there for her. If you never, ever thought that the African American actresses, actors and talent supports and loves each other, I saw it last night."
Although Fox said that King would "get through this," she took the moment to caution viewers about keeping an eye on those around them, especially in stressful times during the pandemic.
“I just pray that what we do more than anything else for our sons, for our children -- COVID and everything has got everybody in a dark spot, in a dark place. If you see any signs, any signs of someone being in distress, or if somebody reaches out to you that’s just not having a good day, stop, take a moment to make sure that they’re OK," she said.
She added, "If you see someone in distress, check on them. Check on 'em. We've got people every day -- I've never thought about suicide in our community and how so many people are taking their own lives that don't want to be here... But it's been eye-opening for me. It really has been. And I've been trying to be strong, 'ooh girl, please don’t shed no tears today.' But my tears are that I know my friend is OK, y'all. She really is. We're going to get through this, but we definitely have to start bringing more awareness to mental illness."
News of Alexander Jr.'s death came on Saturday, with King telling ET the family is "devastated at the deepest level by the loss of Ian." She added, "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."
He was King's only child, whom she shared with her ex-husband, the record producer Ian Alexander, and he had just celebrated his 26th birthday last Wednesday.
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