Hollywood is still mourning the loss of Aaron Carter, who died on November 5 at the age of 34. Following the November 7 episode of Dancing With the Stars, judge Carrie Ann Inaba opened up about Aaron, who competed in season 9 of the show.
“I think of Aaron Carter a lot actually,” Carrie Ann told reporters, including HollywoodLife. “I always wonder how he’s doing. He’s been very open about his own personal struggles through life. And what I found was when he was on Dancing With the Stars, he was one of the brightest lights. He was one of the people who always came up behind the scenes, whether there’s rules in place or not, you were not supposed to talk to the judges. He didn’t let that stop him.”
She added, “He was always effusive and always trying to connect with people. I will always remember Aaron as this beautiful heart and light. I just wish for him eternal peace. My heart and my prayers and all my thoughts go out to his family because it’s a tremendous loss for all of us.”
Aaron was paired with Karina Smirnoff during season 9 of Dancing With the Stars. They came in fourth place that season.
Aaron was found dead in his Lancaster, California, home on November 5. He leaves behind an 11-month-old son named Prince. An official cause of death was not immediately determined by the coroner.
Nick Carter, Aaron’s older brother who finished second on DWTS in season 21, mourned the loss of Aaron in a heartfelt Instagram post. “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,” Nick wrote. “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.”