Aaron Carter Hospitalized Amid ‘Hate Messages and Death Threats’ About His Weight: ‘I Need to Stay Strong’
Aaron Carter recently opened up about the hiatal hernia he was diagnosed with at the age of 19 — saying the stress-related medical condition is responsible for his thin frame because it makes it difficult for him to eat.
But that hasn’t stopped the 29-year-old singer from being body-shammed in person and on social media.
On Thursday, the former teen idol was hospitalized for exhaustion following his HOT 107.9 gig in Syracuse, New York — sharing a photo of himself in a hospital bed at St. Joseph’s Health emergency room.
“Lots of shows lately, had to head up to ER just to get a little check up these shows are crazy lately gotta make sure I stay strong,” he explained on Twitter before sharing a photo of himself in a wheelchair. “I’ll recover.”
All G pic.twitter.com/XFdJp8C2iZ
— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) June 23, 2017
I'll recover ???????? ???? pic.twitter.com/GmywfFScgR
— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) June 23, 2017
But exhaustion wasn’t the only thing Carter was dealing with on Thursday.
Earlier in the evening, he blasted a female fan he met who he claimed was bullying and body shaming him in public in a series of tweets — admitting her words really cut deep.
“I’m entirely hurt by a so-called fan that I just encountered she wasn’t realizing I was listening, she said I look like I have cancer,” Carter wrote. “A grown woman was gossiping about me when I have a eating disorder, telling people I need to eat 5 cheeseburgers cause I look like I’m dying. This is body shaming. You guys are bullying me. I’ve already addressed my medical issues.”
“I’ve literally had the hardest week of my life,” Carter added — addressing the recent death of his father Bob and the 2012 death of his sister Leslie. “My dad past away my late sisters birthday anniversary was June 6th and people body shame me.”
I'm entirely hurt by a so-called fan that I just encountered she wasn't realizing I was listening, she said I look like I have cancer
— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) June 23, 2017
a grown woman was gossiping bout me w I have a eating disorder telling people I need to eat 5 cheeseburgers cause I look like I'm dying. ????
— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) June 23, 2017
This is body shaming. You guys are bullying me. I've already adressed my medical issues. #bodyshaminghttps://t.co/OhH1h5oTVa
— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) June 23, 2017
I've literally had the hardest week of my life, my dad past away my late sisters birthday anniversary was June 6th & people #BodyShame me.
— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) June 23, 2017
His rant continued throughout the night and into most of Friday, retweeting supportive fans and clapping back at others who questioned his weight.
“I’m sorry I’m not fat enough. For my fake fans,” he said. “I’m sorry I’m not good enough or heavy enough to be attractive… I’m bullied and body shamed by the world… They literally won’t stop bullying me… They won’t leave me alone. I’m getting hate messages and death threats.”
“Been in the hospital three times this month, dealing with health issues and broken fingers as well as things I can’t legally discuss,” he said. “Do I have to do a spinal tap to prove to people? They’re trolling me and causing me so much insecurities.
I'm sorry I'm not fat enough. For my fake fans.
— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) June 23, 2017
I'm bullied and body shamed by the world. ????????????????
— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) June 23, 2017
They literally won't stop bullying me.
— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) June 23, 2017
They won't leave me alone. I'm getting hate messages and death threats. https://t.co/l0PioMHmC6
— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) June 24, 2017
However there were moments throughout his tweets that Carter appeared hopeful.
“I’m not ashamed of my body,” he wrote on Instagram. “Maybe I’m too skinny, maybe I’m too short but the one thing I know is I love my fans my family my girlfriend and my friends. I’m #NotPerfect you never know what someone is going through. We are not immortal. #embracelove.”
“All I can do is my best in my life with the conditions I have I need to stay strong, I’m so grateful for my fans, YOU mean the world to me,” he tweeted. “Progress is better than perfection. It’s OK to be on a self-love journey, so don’t beat yourself up if u have yet to reach your destination.”
All I can do is my best in my life with the conditions I have I need to stay strong, I'm so grateful for my fans, YOU mean the world to me.
— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) June 24, 2017
Progress is better than perfection. It's OK to be on a self-love journey, so don't beat yourself up if u have yet to reach your destination
— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) June 23, 2017
Carter also explained he was working to address his aforementioned medical issue, and implied there were other issues he wasn’t talking about. “I promise I’ll work on getting bigger physically I have medical issues I don’t want to discuss at this time,” he said.
By Friday night, he appeared to be on the mend (physically, at least) — posting a photo of himself at dinner after a concert in Indianapolis.
“My appetite is coming back,” he wrote. “#StayingPositive.”
My appetite is coming back ???????? #StayingPositivepic.twitter.com/iQOvc5EhDY
— Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) June 24, 2017
One thing Carter won’t be doing anytime soon is turning off his social media.
Asked by a fan why he doesn’t just take a break from Twitter and ignore his haters, Carter responded, “That’s not who I am.”
Carter’s tour continues into July, with stopes in Virginia Beach, Virginia and Kansas City, Missouri.