HOWARD Stern’s longtime friend wrote a now-tragic message about the afterlife before his own death.
Ralph Cirella, a stylist and regular contributor to Stern’s radio show, wrote a tribute to Friends actor Matthew Perry and hoped he was in a “better place.”
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Cirella’s death was confirmed by Stern who said he had been fighting a rare lymphoma.
“[His] heart gave out,” a heartbroken Stern said in his show on Wednesday, revealing he spoke to Cirella the night before his death.
The radio host expressed frustration at his late friend for waiting too long to address the issue, which he said was curable and treatable.
“I just have been so sad and so angry,” Stern said, adding: “He didn’t take care of himself.”
Cirella and Stern met on his show 40 years ago after the future contributor was brought on as a stylist and makeup artist.
They became fast friends and would go on to appear on shows like America’s Got Talent and The Late Show with David Letterman together.
Weeks before his death, Cirella dedicated one of his final Instagram posts to the life of Perry, who had just died of an apparent drowning at his home.
Perry had published a tell-all book the year before his death, which revealed his struggles with addiction and mental health.
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Cirella remembered Perry as being “laugh-out-loud funny” and one of the main reasons he would rewatch the hit sitcom Friends.
“It’s tragic that someone who brought so much joy to so many people, suffered much of his life battling addiction and was never really able to fully enjoy his well deserved success,” Cirella wrote in the post on October 30.
“If there is a better place after this I hope he’s there, and finally at peace.”
Fans have started to comment on the post again – this time with tributes for Cirella instead of the actor.
“Rest easy, Ralphie boy,” said one friend as another wrote: “You will always be in our hearts.”
Many others wished for Cirella to rest in peace and said they were going to miss him.
Leading the tributes was superstar actor John Stamos who remembered meeting Cirella decades ago when he was working as a makeup artist for Stern’s show.
“Ralph wasn’t just a friend, he was family,” Stamos wrote in a heartbreaking post.
Stamos said Cirella had an “abundance of untapped potential” that was never acknowledged by the public, and said his death reminded him of life’s unpredictability.
“My heart aches at the thought of Ralph departing this world alone, without ever experiencing the deep love he undeniably deserved,” Stamos wrote.
He ended the tribute by saying how lucky he felt to call Cirella a friend.
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