Toukie Smith, the former model and actress who shared twin children with Hollywood star Robert De Niro, has died at the age of 74. Following her death, her children have shared an emotional tribute and revealed that she had been living with multiple sclerosis (MS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Smith died on November 4 at a hospital in New York. Although she largely kept her personal life away from public attention, news of her passing has prompted tributes from those who remember her career, personality and influence on the fashion industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Toukie Smith and Robert De Niro were together for eight years, from 1988 until 1996. During their relationship, the couple reportedly faced difficulties when trying to start a family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They eventually welcomed twin children, Airyn and Julian, on October 20, 1995. The twins were conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF) and carried by a surrogate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the time, De Niro\u2019s spokesperson explained that the couple would continue their separate personal and professional lives while sharing the responsibility of raising their children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite their connection to one of Hollywood\u2019s most recognizable actors, Airyn and Julian largely grew up away from the public spotlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As adults, both twins developed interests and careers of their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Julian pursued acting, appearing in the 2016 film In Dubious Battle<\/em> and later portraying a young Barack Obama in the Showtime series The First Lady<\/em>. He also studied computer science and mathematics at New York University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Airyn explored creative work, including modeling and voice acting, while also studying mental health counseling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a 2025 interview, Airyn spoke publicly about coming out as transgender and described the support she received from her father. She also reflected on the freedom her parents gave her and Julian to discover their own identities and choose their paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She has previously spoken warmly about her mother and the influence her personality and confidence had on her upbringing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following Smith\u2019s death, Airyn and Julian released a heartfelt statement remembering their mother and sharing details of the health struggle she had faced privately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They described her as a \u201cforce of nature\u201d and said she had endured a long and courageous battle with multiple sclerosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Multiple sclerosis is a chronic condition in which the immune system attacks the protective covering of nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. This can interfere with communication between the brain and the rest of the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Symptoms vary from person to person and may include muscle weakness, numbness, vision difficulties and problems with balance or walking. Although there is currently no cure, treatments can help manage symptoms and, in some cases, slow the disease’s progression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Smith rarely discussed her health publicly, and her children\u2019s tribute offered a glimpse into the challenges she had been facing away from the spotlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond her work as a model and actress, Smith was remembered for helping create opportunities for Black women in the fashion industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her children highlighted her beauty, confidence and distinctive presence, saying her work helped pave the way for future generations of Black models and designers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Smith also came from a family with a significant connection to American fashion. She was the younger sister of celebrated designer Willi Smith, who died in 1987 at the age of 39 from AIDS-related complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Toukie worked with her brother\u2019s designs and built her own career in an industry where their family left a lasting mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In their tribute, her children also reflected on the influence of the family\u2019s creative legacy on fashion and culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although her relationship with Robert De Niro attracted public attention, Smith rarely discussed their private life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She appeared determined to be recognized for her own career rather than defined by her connection to a famous actor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a 1990 interview with the Los Angeles Times, she expressed her attitude toward personal matters in a simple statement: \u201cWhat\u2019s great about a private life is it\u2019s private.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That desire for privacy also extended to her health. Details about when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis have not been publicly established, and her children have not provided further information about the circumstances surrounding her death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Airyn and Julian, their mother’s death marks the loss of someone whose influence extended far beyond her public career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their tribute remembered her as a woman who left a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Airyn also shared a childhood photograph of herself with her mother, accompanied by a short but deeply personal message:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll always love you, Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Toukie Smith leaves behind a legacy in modeling, acting and fashion, as well as the memories cherished by her family and those whose lives she touched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n May she rest in peace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Toukie Smith, the former model and actress who shared twin children with Hollywood star Robert De Niro, has died at the age of 74. Following her death, her children have shared an emotional tribute and revealed that she had been living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Smith died on November 4 at a hospital in New …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26423,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26422"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26422\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26424,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26422\/revisions\/26424"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/26423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cehre.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Children Reveal Her Battle With Multiple Sclerosis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Remembered for Her Influence on Fashion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Toukie Smith Valued Her Privacy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A Heartfelt Farewell From Her Children<\/h2>\n\n\n\n