Influencer and OnlyFans star Liam Fitzgerald died on Friday, Oct. 30, after sustaining "severe injuries" from a motorcycle crash, his girlfriend Jamie Lyn Rinaldi announced in a post uploaded to Instagram on Sunday.
"He suffered severe injuries, and despite the efforts of those who tried desperately to save him, they were unable to bring him back,” she wrote in the post. "There are no words to describe the heartbreak of this loss. This is an incredibly difficult and heartbreaking time of everyone who knew and loved him.”
She continued, "Please keep Liam’s family, loved ones, and everyone closest to him in your thoughts and prayers. Please give us the grace, love, and privacy as they navigate this unimaginable loss. Rest peacefully, Liam we love you so
much.”
The 29-year-old fitness influencer amassed over one million followers across Instagram and TikTok, sharing workout advice and motivational content. His family issued a statement on Fitzgerald's account, remembering their "shining star."
"He had a way of lighting up every room he walked into, a personality impossible to forget, and a heart that loved deeply," the statement reads. "From family and friends to teammates, strangers, and people around the world, he inspired so many. He loved his people fiercely and would protect them with everything he had.”
The family went on to write that he had "struggles" and managed to work through them: "He battled with alcohol on and off and knew it was hurting him. This is shared in the hope that his story reaches someone who needs it. If you're fighting that battle, please stay strong, reach out to your loved ones, and ask for help. You don't have to fight alone. Keep going.”
They ended their statement saying, "His laughter, energy, accomplishments, and the memories he created will live on through everyone he touched. Hug your people tighter, tell them you love them, forgive when you can, and never assume you have more time," and signed it: "Penny, Natalie, Dermot, Bethany, and girlfriend Jamie [Rinaldi]."
Rinaldi also uploaded an Instagram story to "clarify a few things so everyone understands": while the two of them had their own issues in the relationship, they recently reconnected and were working on it. "He apologized, wanted to make things right, and showed me every single day that he was willing to put in the effort to change. I love this man, and I chose to give him another chance," she wrote. "I forgave him, and we were working on building something beautiful together again.”
She also said that they intentionally did not share much of their relationship online, adding, "We spent so much time together and chose to keep our relationship private because social media can be overwhelming, and we wanted to focus on us without outside opinions." Rinaldi said just a few days ago they decided to be a couple again and were "making progress and excited about the future we were building together.”
Her latest statement ends as she writes, "Please understand that this is the hardest thing I have ever had to face. Losing someone you love so deeply and so suddenly is unimaginable. My heart is completely broken, and the last thing needed right now is judgment, assumptions, or speculation about our relationship. I loved Liam with all my heart. What we shared was real; it was special, and from day one, he had a place in my heart that nobody else could ever fill.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Influencer and OnlyFans star Liam Fitzgerald dies in motorcycle crash
