NSYNC Member Lance Bass Pens Emotional Tribute to Aaron Carter After His Death

12/09/2022 02:22 pm EST

NSYNC member Lance Bass has penned an emotional tribute to Aaron Carter, weeks after the singer's shocking death. Taking to Instagram, Bass shared an old photo of Carter singing with NSYNC many years ago. In the post caption he wrote, "Since Aaron has passed, it's become abundantly clear that he had a severe mental illness, resulting in the inner turmoil he dealt with in the darkness coming straight out into the light."

Bass continued, "Not only has it hurt the people around him who truly cared about him, but it also enabled those who wanted to exploit him, and they did it without any ramifications to use to their advantage. It is now more critical than ever for us to educate ourselves on mental health and its effects on the person going through it and the families affected by it. This conversation continues to resurface, and it feels like nothing has been able to be accomplished after years of trying. As a parent, I've been feeling powerless and want to know what I can do to help. What I've realized quickly is mental health starts at home. More children and families need our support to navigate these tough challenges. They need resources..."

Next, Bass revealed that the post was in support of the "Songs For Tomorrow" benefit, a memorial for Carter being held on January 18, 2023. The event is sponsored by Carter's family and the On Our Sleeves organization. On Our Sleeves connects people with "free expert-created resources to help communities break child mental health stigmas⁣" and "support children's mental health."

Noting the organization's work, Bass stated that he is "thankful that [On Our Sleeves] exists to raise awareness on these issues and to help break the stigma." He also expressed gratitude to Carter's twin sister Angel for "including me in this event to help make a change." Concluding his post, Bass offered, "Please join us on January 18, 2023, to help start the conversation inspired by the life of Aaron with some of our closest friends. Hope to see you there..."

TMZ was the first to report Carter's death in early November, though, at the time, the local sheriff's office only confirmed that an individual had been found and pronounced dead. The authorities had not yet shared the identity of the deceased. According to Deadline, the Los Angeles County Medical-Examiner Coroner's office confirmed Carter was pronounced dead at 11:14 AM Saturday, Nov. 5. 

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