Nick Carter has shared a heartbreaking tribute to his younger brother Aaron Carter, following his death over the weekend at the age of 34.
The Backstreet Boys member said his love for his sibling, who was also a singer and former child star, “never ever faded”, despite them having “a complicated relationship”.
In a posting on Instagram with photographs of the two through the years, Nick said in a post on Sunday: “My heart has been broken today.
“Even though my brother and I have had a complicated relationship, my love for him has never ever faded. I have always held on to the hope that he would somehow, someday want to walk a healthy path and eventually find the help that he so desperately needed.”
In 2019, Nick filed a restraining order against Aaron, alleging he threatened to kill his pregnant wife and unborn child.
Aaron acknowledged the restraining order on Twitter at the time, but he denied the allegations of threatening behaviour.
The singer also had a history of drug convictions and reportedly went to rehab on a number of occasions.
Aaron also disclosed in 2019 that he had been diagnosed with both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
“Sometimes we want to blame someone or something for a loss. But the truth is that addiction and mental illness is the real villain here,” Nick wrote in his post.
“I will miss my brother more than anyone will ever know. I love you Chizz, now you get a chance to finally have some peace you could never find here on earth. God, Please take care of my baby brother.”
On Saturday night, a representative for Aaron confirmed the news to the PA news agency, stating that a cause of death was yet to be determined.
Aaron made his start in the music industry as a child, supporting the Backstreet Boys – of which his elder brother Nick Carter is a member – on tour, and releasing his self-titled debut album at the age of nine.
The album sold a million copies worldwide and peaked at number 12 in the UK, with lead single Crush On You reaching the top 10 in various territories, including here in Britain.
Angel Carter, his twin sister, also shared a tribute on social media.
“My funny, sweet Aaron, I have so many memories of you and I, and I promise to cherish them,” she wrote on Instagram.
“I know you’re at peace now. I will carry you with me until the day I die and get to see you again.”
One of Aaron’s former girlfriends Hilary Duff, who starred in Lizzie McGuire, recalled him as having an “effervescent” charm, and said her “teenage self” loved him deeply.
“I’m deeply sorry that life was so hard for you and that you had to struggle in-front of the whole world,” she wrote on Instagram.