“Years are passing fast. Miss you my friend my brother my Wing man”
Ronan Keating has paid a heartfelt tribute to Stephen Gately on the 16th anniversary of his tragic death.
Stephen tragically passed away in 2009 due to a pulmonary oedema, a condition where too much fluid collects in the lungs.
His death occurred in the Spanish holiday island of Mallorca. Stephen and his partner, internet mogul Andrew Cowles, were taking a working holiday in the Majorcan resort of Port d’Andratx. The couple planned to stay there for a month and they had invited family and friends to stay with them.
Tragically, Stephen was found dead in their holiday home at just 33 years old on 10 October.
At the time of his death, Boyzone had just finished their sell-out Back Again… No Matter What tour.
The band were also working on their fourth album, Brother. Sadly, Stephen would never see the album’s release.
To mark his anniversary, Ronan Keating posted a heartfelt tribute to Stephen, alongside a throwback photo of the pair in Japan.
“Years are passing fast. Miss you my friend my brother my Wing man. I’m sure you are laughing at the fact we have decided to approach this next chapter. Kills me to do it alone. But I know you are there,” he said.
Boyzone’s official Instagram posted a black and white photo of Stephen simply captioned with a black heart.
Meanwhile, Keith Duffy also posted a video tribute to his bandmate via his Boyzlife account. The video showed Stephen in his happiest moments, on stage with the band and with Brian McFadden. “16 years an Angel. Remembering our brother Steo today, forever in our hearts, voices, and every song we sing. 1976–2009,” the caption read.
Keith also reposted an interview he gave recently where he spoke about Stephen. The singer explained they showed him a great deal of respect. He explained that they would pay tribute to Stephen during their upcoming shows in London’s Emirates Stadium.
The shows will take place next summer on the 5th and 6th of June.
Tickets for the gigs, which are the biggest standalone gigs in Boyzone’s history, are available from Ticketmaster.
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