Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton shared a touching tribute to his fiancée’s close friend who died unexpectedly during his bride-to-be’s lavish bachelorette getaway in St. Bart’s.
The two-time NBA All-Star shared a sweet snap of Makenzi Kern and his future wife, Jade Jones, hugging on his Instagram stories.
“Will always love and miss you Kenz,” he wrote Wednesday, adding, “Forever thankful for you,” with a red heart emoji.
Kern, an Iowa native, died suddenly of undisclosed health complications during the Caribbean getaway on June 8, just two days after her 26th birthday.
Jones also posted a lengthy tribute on Instagram recounting some of her favorite moments with Kern over the years — ranging from “Hannah Montana” dance sessions to countless summers boating.
“I am forever grateful that I got to love someone as truly special as Kenzi, and to have been loved back by her. Kenz was truly a light in this world, and that light will continue to shine in everyone who was lucky enough to know her. I love you forever until the end of time Kenzi,” Jones wrote.
“You are truly so beautiful inside and out & a once-in-a-lifetime kind of friend. Thank you for always showing up for me, for making me laugh until I cry, and for being such an unforgettable part of my life. I’ll always miss you but I know you’ll be with me, wherever I go. ‘See ya’.”
A series of pictures included in the post stretched back to their college days. Jones celebrated Kern as her “biggest cheerleader,” both in life and in her relationship with Haliburton.
“I can’t even imagine our wedding day without her there celebrating with us. The day will not be the same without her, but I know she will show us she is there somehow,” Jones added.
Jones and Haliburton have been together for more than seven years and are set to tie the knot on Aug. 1.
Kern and Jones became fast friends during their time on the Iowa State cheerleading squad. They first crossed paths with Haliburton while he was a guard for the Cyclones.
Her devastated family said she died while “surrounded by her closest friends on a once in a lifetime trip to St. Barthelemy Island,” according to an online obituary.
Kern appeared happy and carefree in photos taken by friends during the first leg of the ill-fated bachelorette bash.
Her loved ones don’t believe foul play, drugs or alcohol contributed to her untimely death, though the exact cause is still unclear.
The circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear.
