ATLANTA, GA. (THECOUNT) — In a surprising twist of fate, Atlanta radio personality, Rickey Smiley, has announced he is the father to 5-year-old twin girls, a revelation that came nearly a year after the heartbreaking loss of his son Brandon.
The 56-year-old host shared the news on the Smitty and Dee podcast, recounting how he received the life-changing call in January 2024. This was almost a year after his 32-year-old son, Brandon Smiley, passed away due to a drug overdose in January 2023, as reported by AL.com.
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Smiley explained that the news came from an ex-girlfriend, with whom he maintains a friendly relationship. She had gone to court with another ex-partner, leading to the discovery that Rickey was the biological father of her twin daughters.
Remarkably, Rickey had known these girls since they were born, but only recently learned of his paternal connection. On the podcast, he noted, “Me and her have joked about this. I don’t run away from being a father, and she’s not the type of mom who would keep a child from a dad.”
The confirmation of his paternity brought a ray of light during one of his darkest periods. “When I tell you, that’s the first time I saw the sun again during that dark hour. The sun came back out,” Smiley expressed, highlighting the bittersweet joy of discovering his daughters.
Rickey shared how he broke the news to his family during a memorial dinner for Brandon, introducing his twin daughters to the family. “They lost it,” he said, recalling the emotional scene when his family learned about the twins.
He sees traces of himself in his daughters; one resembles him at age five, while the other shares his personality. Rickey is optimistic about their family’s future, stating, “We are already one big happy family” after incorporating the twins into their lives.
Reflecting on his journey, Smiley offered a perspective of gratitude, saying, “At the end of the day, God is still good because it could have been worse, and that is a good perspective to live off of.” He sees the twins as a new source of joy, not as replacements for Brandon, but as a new chapter in his life. “And you gave me some twins, not to replace Brandon, but here you go! Here’s some joy.”
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