Liverpool icon Ian Rush missed Diogo Jota's funeral on Saturday following the death of his own brother, Gerald.
Rush has also revealed that the heartbreak of Hillsborough has resurfaced following the tragic passing of the Liverpool forward. The Reds' all-time top scorer has been deeply affected by the devastating incident in Spain, which claimed the lives of Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, in a car accident on Thursday.
The Liverpool squad traveled to Porto on Saturday for the funeral held in Jota's hometown of Gondomar. But for Rush, it feels like a painful echo of 1989 when 97 Liverpool fans tragically lost their lives at Hillsborough, a disaster that continues to reverberate across Merseyside to this day.
As quoted by Mirror Football, Anfield ambassador Rush stated: "At Liverpool, we have always regarded ourselves as one big family. Now one of our family has gone, so we all have to join together and help one another. The last few days have shown that.
"It was the same with Hillsborough, but on a far bigger scale because of how many lost their lives and how many families were left devastated. It doesn't matter who you are, a player or a supporter, we all stick together."
The situation is particularly poignant for Rush, who was unable to attend Jota's funeral due to his involvement in funeral preparations following the passing of his older brother, Gerald.
He explained: "I was invited to Diogo's funeral, but what has happened with my brother passing it was impossible to go.
Diogo Jota
Diogo Jota died on Thursday (Image: Getty Images)
"He hadn't been well for some time, but like Diogo, it hasn't really hit home yet. I was in the middle of helping with Gerald's funeral when the news broke about Diogo. To be honest, it's been hard to take in.
"Diogo was a great player, probably the best finisher at the club. He always gave 100 percent. He would make a difference whether he started or came on as a substitute. He would never dominate the headlines and that was the same off the pitch.
"He was a real down-to-earth person, a real gent. He just got on with things. He will be sadly missed for the special person he was as much as for what he did on a football field for Liverpool and Portugal.
"This is especially hard for the Liverpool players who will soon be back in pre-season training. They are just expected to get on with the job but they are just human beings at the end of the day who experience the same emotions as the rest of us.
"Some players will be affected more than others. I think right now it's been hard for everyone to take in what has happened. You try to continue as normal, but that is impossible.
"It's so weird, and for some there will be a delayed reaction because the enormity of what has happened hasn't sunk in yet.
"I believe when someone dies you get on with things and it's only a few weeks later that the full extent of the awful loss gets you. You know you have to get on with life but that's hard. Diogo will never be forgotten because he has embraced everything Liverpool."