Singer and reality TV star Jake Quickenden has shared a heart-wrenching tribute to his little brother who died six years ago.
Posting on what would have been his 26th birthday, Dancing on Ice champ Jake told fans he still misses him “like mad” and said his brother “always will be” his best friend in the world.
Jake, 30, uploaded a childhood photo of himself and Oliver sitting either side of their mum Lisa and wrote: “My best friend would have been 26 today… how has it been 6 years since you were taken from us!!
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“Honestly not a moment goes by that I don’t think of you, I still cry, you still make me laugh and most of all I still miss you like mad, you are my best friend and you always will be.
“Watching the way you dealt with things made me a better person, I will never take things for granted! Love you little brother!! Hope you’re up there looking down on us all!! God I miss you.”
Jake’s fans rushed to offer supportive messages in the comments, with one writing, “He’d be proud of young man you’ve become, Jake” and another telling him, “Sending lots of love to you and for family”.
Oliver Quickenden passed away in 2012 after a two-year battle with bone cancer.
He was only 19 at the time and it came just four years after Jake lost his dad, Paul, to a similar disease.
Speaking to the Sun about his grief, the former X Factor star said: “They were just very, very unlucky. I struggled a lot, especially as [Oliver] was my little brother – he was 19 – and because I should be looking after him.
“I went into a downward spiral. I’m not talking about it because I want pity but I decided to talk about it to let people know you can come out of it and be alright.
“I did nothing, I laid on my mum’s sofa, not working or making money, and I was just going out and getting so drunk I couldn’t remember the night before.”
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Last year, Jake got a new tattoo in honour of his late dad.
He took to Instagram to share a snap of his meaningful body art – a letter ‘P’ on his arm – and told his followers: “Today I had a P tattooed on me, now I carry my brother’s name and my Dad’s initial for Paul.
“I like to think if they are etched on my skin then they can see what I see and that fills my heart with warmth!!”
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