Ray JWhile plenty of people have expressed their incredible heartbreak and sadness over the death of Whitney Houston, some of those who were closest to her have taken a bit longer to come to terms with this loss. Before she passed away, Whitney had an off-again, on-again relationship with Ray J, and they were seen together in the days before she died.

He did not speak out immediately following her death, but now Ray J has finally broken his silence on the matter. His comments about losing her prove that he is a genuine guy who truly loved and cared about her, and it seems fitting that he spoke out right before her funeral tomorrow.

Ray J released the following statement to US Weekly:

Over the past few days, I've tried to process the emptiness that I am experiencing. What my heart feels cannot be expressed in words. The world lost an icon, but I lost my close friend. Nippy, I miss you so much! You were so happy and full of love. Your smile will live in my heart forever.

While Ray J may have referred to Whitney as his "close friend" and didn't come right out and call her his "girlfriend," it certainly sounds like the two had an emotional and deep connection. Relationships can't always be clearly defined by titles, and even if they weren't a "couple" when she passed, it's still unbearable to lose someone that close to you. Ray J is certainly grieving like a boyfriend would, regardless of whether they were officially together.

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And if Ray J's words about Whitney don't convince you that he really loved her, then his actions immediately following her death should. Instead of being concerned with his own grief, Ray J went directly to the Beverly Hilton to be a source of support for her daughter, Bobbi Kristina. One thing's for sure -- he certainly did a whole lot more than Bobbi's own father, Bobby Brown, did. Brown opted to perform at a scheduled concert instead of getting on a plane and heading to LA to console his daughter. Nice dad, huh? The fact that Ray J showed such compassion to Bobbi Kristina speaks volumes about his love and devotion for Whitney, don't you think?

More from The Stir:

Whitney Houston Dies & Cruel Celeb Death Rumors Follow

Bill O'Reilly Saying ‘Whitney Houston Wanted to Kill Herself’ Is Heinous (VIDEO)

Will you be watching Whitney Houston's funeral tomorrow?

 

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