Ian Alexander Jr., the sole child of Regina King, an award-winning actor and director has died. He celebrated his 26th birthday on Wednesday.

"Our family is heartbroken by Ian's passing," a family statement published Saturday by a King representative said. "He is such a ray of sunshine who genuinely cared about the pleasure of people. Our family requests discretion during this private time."

According to the spokeswoman, the death was a suicide. No other information was provided.

Alexander was co-owned by the director of "One Night in Miami" and her former spouse, record producer Ian Alexander Sr... After ten years of marriage, the two split in 2007. Alexander Jr., King's younger brother, was a musician and DJ who frequently accompanied King to red carpet events.

"She's a super mom," he told E! News during the 2019 Golden Globes. She is not one to let terrible workdays or anything else mar the time we have together. It's truly amazing to have a mother with whom I like spending time."

The two wore similar tattoos in Aramaic that said "unconditional love."

"We were taking Kabbalah classes," King explained in 2017 on The View. "He said, let's each choose three designs and keep them secret from one another; whichever one matches, we're going to get tattooed — and we both chose unconditional love."

Alexander wrote a tribute to his mother on Instagram last year on her 50th birthday, which included the following: "To be able to watch you seize this lifetime by the neck and make it yours is something I (sic) will forever be grateful for." However, the greatest gift I could ask for is to have you as my mother."

King uploaded a clip of her son's latest music, "Green Eyes," on Instagram a week ago, inviting her followers to check it out. She once described her son as an "amazing young man" in an interview with People and spoke of the bond between mother and child.

"You have no concept of unconditional love. "You may say you do, but unless you have a child, you have no idea what that is," the Academy, Golden Globe, and four-time Emmy Award winner stated. "When you encounter it, it is the most fulfilling (experience) you will ever have."

Alexander's death was widely reported on social media.

"My heartfelt sympathies and prayers for @ReginaKing's strength. Sending her all the love, light, and support she has shown me and so many others," Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund tweeted.

King, who appeared in "If Beale Street Could Talk," "The Harder They Fall," and several other films, is a two-time NAACP Image Award winner.

The executive director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Change and the civil rights icon's daughter, Bernice King, tweeted: "Praying for Regina King." She is in desperate need of all the grace and light that can be directed her way right now."