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Selena Gomez Mourns Friend Christina Grimmie as More Than $38,000 Raised for Ex-‘Voice’ Contestant’s Family

A difficult time. Selena Gomez mourned the loss of her friend Christina Grimmie after the former Voice contestant was shot and killed following a concert in Orlando on Friday, June 10.

The “Hands to Myself” singer, 23, took to Twitter to share a throwback photo with the singer on Saturday, June 11. “My heart is absolutely broken. I miss you Christina,” she wrote.

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Gomez’s stepfather, Brian Teefey, discovered Grimmie on YouTube when she was still in high school. He later worked as her longtime manager.

Christina Grimmie and Selena Gomez
Christina Grimmie and Selena Gomez Courtesy of Selena Gomez/ Twitter

“I was 16 and in school at the time,” the songwriter explained during an interview with Seventeen magazine in 2011. “My brother was in my Miley Cyrus video for only a second, so I put his link in the description. Brian (Selena’s stepdad) tried to contact me, but it’s very hard to do that because of all the messages. So he contacted my brother, instead. So then my brother texted me in the middle of school, like, ‘I really think Selena Gomez’s stepdad is trying to get a hold of you.’ I didn’t believe it; I had heard too many stories. But it ended up being true, and he came over our house. We discussed things and everything fell into place. It was amazing how it happened. I’m so blessed that they’re in my life. They’re literally like a family — Selena has been so encouraging every since we got hooked up. It’s crazy! It’s very much a fairy tale.”

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As previously reported, Grimmie was fatally shot after a concert at the Plaza Live theater on Friday night by Kevin James Loibl. The 27-year-old gunman, who did not know the singer personally, opened fire as she was signing autographs. The 22-year-old songstress was best known for being a finalist on season 6 of The Voice in 2014.

Also in her interview with Seventeen, Grimmie gushed of Gomez, saying, “She’s been really, really encouraging to me. She really taught me two things. First: Be yourself no matter who talks crap about you. … The other thing is to keep going when you mess up live. … Selena has taught me that if your mike shuts off, or if you trip or do something stupid, keep going.”

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The “Come and Get It” singer also shared a link to a GoFundMe page established by Teefey on Saturday morning to raise money for the Grimmie family. The page has already collected more than $38,000 in less than 24 hours.

“Words cannot begin to describe the pain I am feeling,” Teefey wrote on the GoFundMe page. “I learned this business through the eyes of a father and Christina was like a second daughter to me. All I wanted to do was assist her in achieving her musical dreams while protecting her from the pitfalls associated with the business. I never could have imagined this horrific event being one of the pitfalls needing to be avoided.”

Christina Grimmie
Christina Grimmie Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images

“In Christina’s honor I have created a Go Fund Me page to assist her family in their time of need,” he continued. “As family Mother, Father, and Brother made the ultimate family sacrifice to support Christina on her musical journey. They did nothing but love her and support her as family the best they knew how, the only worry I want them to have at this point is that of recovery. Grimms I love you, and miss you beyond comprehension.”

According to a report by E! News, Gomez canceled meet-and-greets at her concert in Miami on Saturday night following the sudden death of Grimmie.

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