Angel Carter is remembering her late twin brother, Aaron Carter, on what would have been his 35h birthday. She penned an emotional Instagram tribute on December 7 in honor of the rapper and the importance of mental health.
“Remember this boy on his birthday today. He was an energetic, vivacious, happy and loving child who deserved to be living life to the fullest,” she began in her caption, before rehashing her and Aaron’s childhood. “We grew up under unique circumstances that were surrounded by dysfunction and constant trauma. Sadly, it was a cycle that was repeated amongst generations.”
Although Angel didn’t elaborate on the “dysfunction” that she and Aaron experienced, she pointed out that there is more “work” to do with raising awareness about mental health.
“The work that On Our Sleeves is doing is critical. In order to make a change, we must educate ourselves,” she continued. “One in 5 children is living with a mental illness and 50 percent of lifetime mental illness presents before the age of 14. We all can feel that there is a youth mental health crisis, and we all know someone who has been impacted. Yet stigma remains. Deep in my heart, I feel that Aaron is watching over us. Our efforts, fueled by his inspiration, have already impacted lives and will persist in doing so. You can contribute by dedicating your time to research, fostering education, and cultivating wholesome discussions within your home.”
Angel concluded the post by addressing her late brother directly with, “Happy Birthday to my twin. I will always love you.”
This past August, Angel opened up to PEOPLE about her parents’ alcoholism and the effect it had on her and her brothers, Aaron and Nick Carter.
“Fame and money took over our family,” she told the publication. “I just kept waiting for [Aaron] to snap out of it. But he never did. … He wanted so badly to be happy. He really fought to the end, but he just had too many problems to be fixed. He’d become this person who we no longer recognized. I don’t even think he recognized himself.”
Aaron was found dead in his home in November 2022. His cause of death was ruled as drowning. He was 34 years old at the time of his death.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).