Hilary Duff paid tribute to her late ex-boyfriend Aaron Carter with a touching Instagram message.

On November 5, People confirmed that former child star and “I Want Candy” singer Aaron Carter was found dead in his California home at 34 years old. No cause of death was reported.

“For Aaron—I’m deeply sorry that life was so hard for you and that you had to struggle in front of the whole world,” Hilary wrote in an Instagram post on November 5. “You had a charm that was absolutely effervescent…boy did my teenage self love you deeply.”

She concluded her message by sending love to Aaron’s family, adding, “Rest easy.”

Aaron is the younger brother of Backstreet Boys band member Nick Carter and released his first solo album in 1997 at just nine years old. In the early ’00s, Aaron released his biggest hits, including “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It)” and “That’s How I Beat Shaq.” After a musical hiatus in the mid-2000s, Aaron released the rap single “Ooh Wee” in 2014 and dropped his fifth and final studio album, LØVË, in 2018. 

At the height of his early career, Aaron began dating the Lizzie McGuire star when they were both 13 years old. At the time, Aaron was making multiple TV appearances on shows like Sabrina the Teenage Witch and 7th Heaven, but most famously guest-starred in the 2001 episode of Lizzie McGuire, titled “Here Comes Aaron Carter.”