Dexter Scott King.Photo:Maury Phillips/WireImage
Maury Phillips/WireImage
Dexter Scott King, the youngest son ofDr. Martin Luther King Jr.andCoretta Scott King, has died. He was 62.
“He transitioned peacefully in his sleep at home with me in Malibu,” his wife of 11 years, Leah Weber King, said in a statement.
“He gave it everything and battled this terrible disease until the end. As with all the challenges in his life, he faced this hurdle with bravery and might,” she added.
Dexter, who was 7 years old when his father was assassinated in 1968, served as the chairman of the King Center at the time of his death.
“Known to be humble about his uncanny resemblance to his father, he portrayed him in the 2002 television movie, The Rosa Parks Story,” per the statement. Although he initially relocated to California to pursue a career in acting, “family duty called and he answered.”
Brother Martin Luther King III said that the “sudden shock” of Dexter’s death “was devastating.”
“It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this,” he said. “We ask for your prayers at this time for the entire King family.”
Dexter’s sister, Dr. Bernice A. King, the CEO of The King Center, said that words couldn’t express her heartbreak. “I’m praying for strength to get through this very difficult time,” she added.
“We send our love and deepest condolences to the King family on the passing of Dexter Scott King,” The King Center shared in a statement on social media. “His legacy as a humanitarian and Civil Rights activist lives on. May he rest in peace.”
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A memorial service, which will be held at a later time, has yet to be announced.
source: people.com
