Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter has paid tribute to his ‘baby brother’, Aaron Carter, following his shock death at the age of 34.
The child star and rapper was found at his home in California on Saturday, according to reports, with reps later
with Nick saying his ‘heart has been broken’ after learning of the news.
Sharing a series of throwback pictures, he wrote: ‘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 onto the hope, that he would somehow, someday want to walk a healthy path and eventually find the help that he so desperately needed.
‘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.’
He continued: ‘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.’
The siblings had a tumultuous relationship, with Carter supporting the Backstreet Boys on tour many times when he was younger, and later hyping up each other’s careers on social media.
But, in 2019, Nick, along with Carter’s twin sister Angel, filed a one-year restraining order against Aaron, which was granted two months later, following ‘alarming behaviour.’
In a statement issued at the time, Nick tweeted: ‘After careful consideration, my sister Angel and I regret that we were required to seek a restraining order against our brother Aaron today.
‘In light of Aaron’s increasingly alarming behaviour … we were left with no choice but to take every measure possible to protect ourselves and our family.’
‘We love our brother and truly hope he gets the proper treatment he needs before any harm comes to himself or anyone else,’ Nick concluded.
Carter denied the charges against him, saying he was ‘astounded’ by the accusations and later claimed he would be ‘just fine’ without his family.
The child actor had several other siblings, including sister Leslie, who died of a drug overdose in 2012, aged 25.
He also had siblings Bobbie Jean, Taelyn Dobson, Kaden Brent, and Virginia Marie.
Paying tribute to her twin, telling Carter she hopes he is ‘at peace now.’
‘To my twin… I loved you beyond measure,’ she began in her caption.
‘You will be missed dearly. My funny, sweet Aaron, I have so many memories of you and I, and I promise to cherish them.
‘I know you’re at peace now. I will carry you with me until the day I die and get to see you again. ?’
Carter rose to fame when he released his debut album at the age of nine, going on to become a Nickelodeon regular.
Along with older brother Nick, and B.J., Leslie and Angel, they appeared on the series House of Carters in 2006, and Carter also competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2009.
Carter later transitioned into rap music, with his songs including Reload the Wesson, and I’m All About You.
The cause of his death is being investigated.
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