During the Philadelphia stop on her sold-out Lucky Me Tour, Hilary Duff offered fans a poignant, heartfelt moment of remembrance. Taking the stage at the Wells Fargo Center, the pop icon and Lizzie McGuire alum performed her set while wearing a vintage white T-shirt adorned with the image and name of her late ex-boyfriend, Aaron Carter, who passed away in November 2022 at age 34.
Duff’s subtle stage tribute served as a gentle nod to a defining era of early-2000s teen pop culture. The pair were famously thrust into the spotlight as young teenagers, dating on-and-off between 2000 and 2003 during the height of their early careers. Their teenage romance reached mythical status among young audiences when Carter made a guest appearance on a 2001 holiday episode of Lizzie McGuire, titled “Aaron Carter’s Coming to Town,” which culminated in an iconic on-screen kiss that mirrored their real-life romance.
The vintage tee tribute arrives on the heels of a candid story Duff shared during an appearance on the Las Culturistaspodcast earlier this year, where she revealed an unexpected moment during a private reading with a psychic medium.
“I was, like, ‘How do I start? Do I start asking you questions?’” Duff recalled. “She’s, like, ‘Well, people are going to start showing up to speak with you, and there’s someone here: Aaron with two A’s.’”
Initial disbelief quickly turned to recognition as the reading progressed, catching both Duff and the medium off guard.
“She was, like, ‘Sure is. What the hell is he doing here?’” Duff shared. “I was like, ‘Well, that’s my childhood boyfriend. And, you know, that would make sense to me.’ And, she’s like, ‘Are you Hilary Duff?’”
Though decades had passed since their teenage relationship ended, Duff’s respect and affection for her first love have remained constant. Following news of his passing four years ago, the actress posted a moving reflection honoring Carter’s memory and acknowledging the public pressures he faced throughout his life.
“For Aaron,” she wrote at the time. “I’m deeply sorry that life was so hard for you and that you had to struggle in-front of the whole world. You had a charm that was absolutely effervescent. Boy did my teenage self love you deeply. Sending love to your family at this time. Rest easy.”
