Grayson Alexander, Gretchen Rossi’s late stepson, passed away on Sunday at 22, but she is focused on all their beautiful memories. The former star of “Real Housewives of Orange County” posted several videos of their kids, Skyla Gray and Grayson Smiley, on Instagram on Wednesday.
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Grayson patiently entertained the 3-year-old as they sat on his bed in the heartbreaking videos. Grayson, battling brain cancer for more than 16 years, watched his younger sister play with various toys while he was still hooked up to a tracheostomy tube.
We love you, Gray,” Rossi wrote in the photo’s caption, which also featured images of her siblings and her boyfriend of more than 13 years. After a challenging IVF process, Smiley and Rossi, who departed “RHOC” in 2013 after four seasons, welcomed Skyla in 2019. The child has Gray as his middle name in remembrance of Grayson.
The 44-year-old former reality star broke the tragic news of his passing on Instagram just one day before the homage. Our hearts always hung onto the hope that this day would not materialize, she said in the post’s opening line. “Our sensible minds told us this day might come,” she said.
“We are extraordinarily heartbroken and grieved by Gray’s passing. The man Grayson Arroyo-Smiley was such a unique individual. He was a fighter like no one had ever seen before while an angel on this planet. He battled daily to find joy in the littlest things despite his anguish and discomfort. Despite his situation, he was usually happy, singing and dancing.
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Rossi continued by referring to Grayson as a “genuine beacon of light and hope” despite the tragedy and saying they will be “forever grateful for the numerous lessons gained from this little child.” Michelle Arroyo, Smiley’s ex-wife, and Grayson’s mother, also confirmed the news on her social media accounts.
