Aaron Hernandez's brother breaks silence and speaks out about the former football star

" ... I will always love him ..."

Jonathon "D.J." Hernandez, the older brother of Aaron, has made his first public comments since his famous brother committed suicide in his jail cell.

Jonathon Hernandez released the short statement through PRNewswire, which said:

From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank everyone who has supported my mother and me during such difficult times.

My younger brother Aaron was far from perfect, but I will always love him. Many stories about my brother's life have been shared with the public - except the story Aaron was brave enough to share with our mother and me.  It's the one story he wanted us to share with the world.

It is Aaron's truth.

That's it. There's no word on what that story is, what his truth is, or when it might be told,

Aaron (lett) and DJ Hernandez, via Complex Sports Twitter

The elder Hernandez was a star quarterback in high school and signed with the University of Connecticut. His younger brother was supposed to join him there, but instead flipped his commitment to Florida. Many observers point to that turbulent time in Aaron Hernandez's young life as the trigger for his troubles. His father, who he loved dearly, died of complications from hernia surgery when Hernandez was 16. Instead of going to UConn where his older brother could potentially be a steadying influence, he went to Florida instead.

Aaron Hernandez, the former star tight end for the New England Patriots, committed suicide just days after he was found not guilty in a double murder. He was still serving a life sentence for the killing of his friend, Odin Lloyd.

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