Justin Bieber has left fans worried after sharing a heartbreaking post about his late grandfather.
The 31-year-old singer took to Instagram to share a touching tribute to his grandfather, Dale, who passed away on Thursday.
The 'Baby' hitmaker reminisced about fond memories with Dale, recalling how he used to convince him to spend his weekly allowance at hockey games.
“Papa, I always took all ur money lol. I remember u specifically telling me, gramma gave u an allowance of 20 dollars for the WEEK!” he wrote. “I would always convince you to spend on snacks at the hockey game on Friday nights. Reluctantly you always gave it to me.”
He shared a throwback photo from 2009 alongside the heartfelt post, listing treats they used to buy together: “Corn nuts, skittles, gum balls, chuck a puck, slush puppies.”
Bieber continued, “Shout out to the jr b referees Beatty, Fagon, Flanagan lm***. For enduring all of my grandpa’s heckling for all of your horrible referee calls lm***. My grandpa wasn’t shy in letting them know that they were being pieces of sh**s.”
Reflecting on his grief and faith, Bieber added: “I can’t wait to see u again soon in heaven,” and wrote, “Until then I know ur watching down probly still heckling Beatty or Fagon for missing that cross check call in the corner there lm***.”
“I will miss u. I will ache. And I’ll sit and let myself remember all of the wonderful times we’ve had,” he concluded.
However, Bieber's inclusion of the phrase "see u again soon in heaven" sparked concerns with fans, given the recent headlines about the singer.
"Soon? I hope you get people to really hear you understand you and help you with the things you are going through so that you don't take no bad step," one fan replied.
Another commented: "My condolences but Please don’t say you will see him soon, i’m sure he wants you to live until his age. And plus we love you Justy."
A third typed: "Hopefully you don’t see him “too soon” in heaven. Slightly concerning way to phrase it. RIP tho bro, hope you are able to make it out the other side of this pain. The world is rooting for you."
According to Dale’s obituary, he died “peacefully” at the Rotary Hospice Stratford Perth and is survived by his four children: Candie Toper, Chris Mallette, Chris Dale, and Pattie Mallette - Bieber’s mother.
Bieber, and his son Jack Blues Bieber, whom he shares with wife Haily Bieber, are among Dale’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Dale had previously spoken about his famous grandson during a 2018 interview at the Steps to Stardom Exhibition in Stratford, emotionally recalling attending Bieber’s first show.
“I don’t know,” Dale said when asked why he got emotional discussing his grandson. “It just happens. I can sit and talk with anybody about anything, but when it comes to talking about him, I just get emotional," per News.com.au.
The tragedy comes amid a period of heightened concern for Bieber’s mental health.
In recent months, the 'Sorry' musician has shared deeply personal posts about his struggles with self-worth, writing: “I think we can only let hate go by first acknowledging it's there. How couldn't we feel hate from all of the hurt we've experienced.”
He was also involved in a tense confrontation with paparazzi outside a Palm Springs coffee shop ahead of Coachella, where he accused photographers of prioritizing money over human decency.
“Money, money, money, money, money,” Bieber said while gesturing with his hand. “Get outta here, bro. Money, that’s all you want. You don’t care about human beings.”
Controversy was further fueled earlier this year when a video of Bieber allegedly using a bong circulated online.
His representative firmly denied any allegations of substance abuse, telling TMZ: “The recurring narrative that Justin is using hard drugs is absolutely not true,” adding, “Justin is currently in one of the best places in his life.”
The representative described Bieber’s recent lifestyle changes, noting he had ended several close friendships and business relationships that no longer served him, and criticized ongoing speculation as “exhausting and pitiful".
Adding to the family's challenges, Bieber’s wife, Hailey, has revealed she is facing her own health battle. The 28-year-old recently shared that she is dealing with two ovarian cysts, posting a photo to her Instagram story with her stomach exposed.
“Currently have 2 ovarian cysts. If you deal with ovarian cysts, I’m right there with ya!” she wrote. She previously disclosed in 2022 that she had suffered from a cyst "the size of an apple," describing symptoms such as feeling "nauseous and bloated and crampy and emotional."
While ovarian cysts are usually harmless, according to the Mayo Clinic, they can sometimes twist or rupture, leading to more serious symptoms.