Aaron Carter died on November 5 at his California home. TMZ first reported that the 34-year-old former child pop star was found unconscious in his bathtub, and The Los Angeles Times reported days later that an initial autopsy could not determine his official cause of death. Public tributes have been pouring out since, including from Carter’s teenage girlfriend Hilary Duff. Nick Carter and Angel Conrad, two of his siblings, expressed their grief. Nick also honored Aaron while performing with the Backstreet Boys in London.
Today, December 7, would have been Carter’s 35th birthday. Conrad, his twin sister, didn’t let the day go by without recognizing her unfathomable loss and announcing the Songs For Tomorrow benefit concert.
Conrad’s vulnerable caption reads as follows:
“I want to start by sharing how much I appreciate all the birthday wishes. While today is incredibly tough, I am overwhelmed by your love and support… thank you from the bottom of my heart. Almost 11 years ago, I lost my sister, Leslie. I remember feeling broken, confused, and I questioned how I was going to continue on without her in my life… And now, over a decade later, I am forced to once again deal with the extreme grief of the death of a sibling. This time, it’s my beloved twin, Aaron. We had an indescribable bond… and now… he is gone.
“It feels unfair… I feel too young to carry the weight of losing two of my siblings. When we lost Leslie, I was blindsided and shocked. With Aaron, however, we had tried everything. In fact, I spoke with him two days before he passed, and I begged, once again, for him to let us help. I did not know that would be the last time that I would ever hear his voice. And now, I sit here on our birthday, trying to navigate this unimaginable loss because of untreated mental illness and the addiction that it led to.
“Aaron dying was the worst day of my life. I have loved him since we were born… it feels like a piece of my soul is gone. And yet, despite all this pain, his passing has lit a fire within me. I feel a calling and responsibility to help other families and continue the conversation to further break the stigmas that surround mental illness. And so, with the support of family and friends, we are planning a benefit concert to raise awareness for mental health, with 100% of proceeds being donated to @onoursleevesofficial. To learn more, please click the link in my bio to see how you can support the critical work of On Our Sleeves by attending ‘Songs For Tomorrow’ January 18, 2023, in West Hollywood, CA. I have learned the pain never goes away and keep telling myself that it is one step at a time. I am hoping you can join me for this crucial next step… in memory of Aaron.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lance Bass will co-host the event.
In mid-November, Nick Carter shared that a donation fund had been created in Aaron’s memory for On Our Sleeves (as noted by THR), an organization aimed at supporting children’s mental health.
Before his tragic passing, Carter had publicly dealt with a string of mental health issues. He appeared on The Doctors several times between 2017-19 to address his addiction to prescription pills and huffing. During a 2019 appearance, he said that he had been diagnosed with acute anxiety, manic depression, multiple personality disorder, and schizophrenia.
Taylor Helgeson, Carter’s manager, told Page Six last month that Carter “looked thin” and “like he needed to be taking care of him” in the days before his death. “He didn’t seem okay physically … [but] mentally, he was the most excited I’ve seen him in months,” Helgeson added.
Carter had entered an outpatient recovery program in September in an effort to regain custody of his son, Prince, whom he shared with his on-and-off fiancée, Melanie Martin.
More information about Songs For Tomorrow, including ticket availability, can be found here.
