Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton's fiancée, Jade Jones, has publicly addressed the death of her close friend, Makenzi Kern, who died earlier this month while attending a bachelorette trip in St. Barts.
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Jones shared a lengthy tribute to Kern on Instagram, reflecting on their friendship and the impact Kern had on her life.
"She was the funniest, goofiest person I've ever met," Jones wrote. "She had such a gift of bringing happiness to every room she was in."
Jones and Kern became friends while attending Iowa State University, where both were members of the school's cheerleading program. Jones later met Haliburton at Iowa State before the future NBA All-Star entered the league in 2020.
In her post, Jones recalled memories ranging from summers spent together to shared interests in music, television and cheering on friends and family.
She also wrote about Kern's support throughout her relationship with Haliburton and the couple's journey together.
"She loved and supported Tyrese and me through every chapter," Jones wrote. "She was our biggest cheerleader and showed up for me in every big moment in my life."
According to previous reports, Kern died unexpectedly on June 8 while traveling with friends in St. Barts. She was 26. Details surrounding her death have not been publicly released, though reports indicated her family did not suspect foul play, drugs or alcohol were involved.
Jones acknowledged the difficulty of moving forward without her longtime friend, particularly with her wedding approaching.
"I can't even imagine our wedding day without her there celebrating with us," Jones wrote.
Jones concluded her tribute by describing Kern as "a once-in-a-lifetime kind of friend" and saying she would continue to carry her memory with her.
Haliburton has not publicly commented on Kern's death.
