“Keep The Faith.” That was the message on the back of Selena Gomez’s shirt when the “Wolves’ singer met a friend for breakfast in Los Angeles on July 25, the day after Demi Lovato, 25, was hospitalized following an overdose. While the message wasn’t explicitly directed at Demi, considering that Demi and Selena, 26, have known each other since they were literally children, this fashion choice was likely a way for Selena to show some support for her friend.
Selena looked distraught and heartbroken shortly after she found out about Demi’s brush with death. Though she and the “Sober” singer aren’t as close as they used to be, the two reportedly still share a special bond and still have a lot of love for one another. Selena also reached out to Demi’s family to offer her support and love in the wake of this health crisis. Selena’s mom, Mandy Teefey, even shared a 10-year-old picture of Demi and Selena in the wake of the near-fatal overdose, saying “the world is a better place because of these [two.]”
Demi and Selena’s friendship started in the early 2000s, when the two both appeared on Barney and Friends. Their friendship followed to The Disney Channel: Demi playing the title role of Sonny with a Chance while Selena famously played Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place. They shot a Disney Channel original movie together – Princess Protection Program — and maintained their friendship up until 2009. The two suffered a Taylor Swift-sized rift in their relationship in 2010, per Billboard, but Demi downplayed the “bad blood” in the press. “True friends don’t let their friends or family be mean to you. If you can’t trust somebody, you can’t be friends with them,” she said. When Demi checked into rehab in 2011, Selena reportedly called her up in tears. Their relationship enjoyed a revival before they would grow slightly apart again a few years later. Still, the love never really died and it seems that no matter what, there will be a space in Demi and Selena’s hearts for each other.
Demi’s Disney Channel days saw her star alongside the Jonas Brothers on Camp Rock, and both Nick and Joe Jonas sent messages of love and support following Demi’s overdose. “We know how strong you are Demi,” Joe, 28, tweeted after hearing the distressing news, and Nick, 25, echoed his brother in his call for prayers for their friend. “Like all of you I am reeling at the news about Demi. All of us love her and need to pray for her to get well. She is a fighter.”