Gretchen Rossi and Slade Smiley are being called out for their “virtually nonexistent” relationship with Smiley’s late son, Grayson Arroyo-Smiley, after the Real Housewives of Orange County stars have publicly grieved the death of the 22-year-old following his death from brain cancer earlier this month. Grayson’s mother, Michelle Arroyo, told PEOPLE in a statement Thursday that “enough is enough” from her ex and his fianceรฉ, who owe her more than $152,600 in unpaid child support, court documents confirm.ย
“I have stayed quiet year after year on the inexcusable behavior and neglect by his father and his fiancรฉe out of respect for my son, who wanted nothing more in this world than a real relationship with his father,” Arroyo told the outlet in a statement, noting that Rossi and Smiley have “grossly misrepresented” the nature of their relationship with her son. “I will not stand by and permit them to benefit from my son’s death for who they were barely there when he was alive and needed his father,” she said.ย
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Arroyo continued of the Instagram posts Rossi has made about Grayson after his passing, “Gretchen has posted video after video, including on Valentine’s Day, presenting a flagrantly false image of a loving stepmother to my child when the reality is she has not made the effort to nor seen him in over 10 years, which is why he is 12 years old in every picture she posts.” Smiley, meanwhile, has only “visited occasionally” since 2008, Arroyo claimed, oftentimes canceling his visits or simply not showing up, “emotionally crushing Gray countless of times.”
Arroyo went on to claim that Smiley “abandoned his custodial visits in 2009 after violating court order after court order, not showing up to pick him up when he was his legal right in time to do so,” adding, “My son was a burden to him, so much so that he voluntarily me [sic] to relinquished his legal rights, that no caring father ever would do.” Smiley is also confirmed to owe $152,655.27 in unpaid child support, according to a court order, with his last payment being recorded as $36.19 in August 2019. Arroyo said she is speaking out now against the Bravo stars “to honor [her] son’s memory” and call out Rossi and Smiley using Grayson “for shameless self-promotion,” saying that “in death, I will be [Grayson’s] voice.”
A source close to Smiley and Rossi told PEOPLE, “It’s unfortunate that the Smiley family is not being allowed to grieve at this incredibly difficult time due to the false accusations being made by Grayson’s mother. Gretchen loves Slade and helped him build a touching tribute to his son and in turn has been attacked by Grayson’s mother. It’s a very sad situation.”
Arroyo has created a GoFundMe to help with costs for Grayson’s memorial, as well as to pay his medical debt, and has raised almost $37,000 of a $75,000 goal. Rossi’s formerย RHOC co-star Tamra Judge and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave have both contributed.
