“My little sister [was] freaking out, saying that Dad’s gone and that he got caught up in a barn fire, and I’m like, ‘What do you mean?’
Brown was a former boxer and actor in The Wire and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Photo / IMDb
“I literally went outside and put both my feet on my front walk.
“It’s cold, and I stood out in my bare feet in a nightgown because I wanted to make sure I was really awake. I did that to make sure I was in actual reality and not dreaming this up, and then I did it for a grounding exercise. I couldn’t believe it. I was like, this isn’t real. And I still don’t even feel like it’s real.
“Everybody is still trying to process it. It’s been difficult for all of us.”
Reina credits her faith for helping her to stay strong through her grief.
She said: “I’m his oldest, and I’m also one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I will say, it’s my faith that’s keeping me sane right now.
“My dad was an amazing human being. He was super awesome. He was a pillar in the community, and he’s going to be missed by a lot of people.”
Bobby’s agent, Albert Bramante, is “deeply saddened” by the actor’s death.
He told People: “Bobby J. Brown was an actor of immense talent and even greater integrity. He approached his work with a discipline and a passion that were truly inspiring to witness.
“While his career included many notable performances, it was his unwavering dedication to the craft of acting that defined him as an artist.
“We are deeply saddened by this loss and ask for privacy for his family and loved ones during this time.”
Bobby – who grew up in Washington D.C. – was a successful boxer before he began acting, winning five Golden Glove Championships but after moving to New Jersey to pursue a professional sporting career, he had a change of heart and went on to move to New York to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
As well as roles in The Wire, The Corner and We Own This City, Bobby also directed two documentaries, Off the Chain – which was about the abuse of American pit bull terriers – and Tear the Roof Off: The Untold Story of Parliament Funkadelic.