Frankie Grande, the older brother of singer Ariana Grande, is “beyond heartbroken” over the death of rapper Mac Miller.
Miller, who split from the pop star this summer after two years of dating, died on Sept. 7, apparently from an overdose. He was found dead in his San Fernando Valley home in California after a friend called 911.
Frankie Grande paid tribute to the late rapper with a black-and-white photo of Miller he posted on Instagram on Wednesday night with a moving caption.
“He was a good friend and was wonderful to my sister,” Grande wrote. “He was the reason I went to the rehabilitation center where I was detoxed safely from all of the drugs alcohol and medications I was taking, when I couldn’t imagine living without them.”
Grande, like Miller, struggled with substance abuse issues. Grande revealed in his post that he’s been sober for 453 days, and praised Miller for tremendous support during his recovery.
“I remember when I would get 30, 60, 90 days clean and Malcom would be there with a gift and a card and words of encouragement... telling me that he knew how hard getting sober is and how impressed he was that I was succeeding.”
Grande also encouraged any social media followers struggling with addiction to reach out for help because “you do not have to trudge alone.”
“Malcom my friend, you will be dearly missed,” he concluded the note. “I know you will be looking down on me from heaven, proudAF for every day I live my life clean and sober.”
Ariana Grande broke her silence on Miller’s death, posting a similar tribute with another sweet photo of Miller, but didn’t include a caption.
The “God Is A Woman” singer was apparently “unbelievably involved” in Miller’s sobriety, according to one of the rapper’s closest friends, who praised Grande for being a stabilizing force in his life.
“They were very much in love, and I have to say she was incredible when he was first sobering up,” Miller’s friend Shane Powers said on his podcast. “She was a fucking G to him. There could not have been anybody more supportive of him being sober than Ariana. I saw that. I was around it.”
“This little girl was unbelievably involved and helpful to him being healthy,” Powers added.
Miller’s funeral will reportedly be held in his hometown of Pittsburgh later this week. Fans gathered on Tuesday night to pay tribute to the singer at a local park, which inspired the name for his debut album.
Need help with substance abuse or mental health issues? In the U.S., call 800-662-HELP (4357) for the SAMHSA National Helpline.