Ralph Cirella, Stylist and Close Friend of Howard Stern, Dead at 58

Cirella, a frequent guest on Stern's talk show, was being treated for a rare form of lymphoma when he died

Stylist and makeup artist Ralph Cirella died on Tuesday at 58 after being treated for a rare form of lymphoma.

Howard Stern announced the death of his longtime friend and stylist on his SiriusXM radio show, The Howard Stern Show, on Wednesday morning. Stern, 69, added that Cirella was undergoing a procedure when his “heart gave out.”

“Ralph was a trustworthy, dear friend who made me laugh every time I was with him,” the host said.

The episode was a tribute to Cirella, who Stern knew for four decades and who had appeared on the show several times in the past. Stern revealed that he had spoken to his late friend the night before he passed, where the two discussed the “curable and treatable” cancer and had hope for the future.

“I think this is the toughest part of loving someone — when you lose them,” Stern said. “Lord knows I loved Ralph. My wife said to me last night, ‘You and Ralph have a secret language’ and it’s true … we had a great chemistry, and we had a great friendship, and Ralph was one of my bros. In fact, I came to think of Ralph as family.”

Related: Paying Tribute to the Celebrities Who Have Died in 2023

“I just have been so sad and so angry,” the star continued. “He didn’t take care of himself.”

The radio personality also reminisced about the night Cirella pushed Stern to a party where he ended up meeting his wife, Beth Ostrosky, who he married in 2008.

“He was the reason I met Beth,” Stern admitted.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

John Stamos also paid tribute to Cirella, taking to Instagram to honor their friendship in a lengthy caption.

“Ralph possessed an abundance of untapped potential, but he grappled with finding the motivation to fully realize it—a painful reality that we all witnessed,” the actor wrote. “It serves as a poignant reminder of life's unpredictability and the importance of not only pursuing our dreams but also seeing them through to the end.”

He continued: “My heart aches at the thought of Ralph departing this world alone, without ever experiencing the deep love he undeniably deserved. In our final exchange, I shared a story about someone who called me lucky. When I asked why, their response was simple and profound: ‘Because you're friends with Ralph from the Howard Stern show.’ And they were absolutely right.”

The Full House alum, 60, called Cirella “one-of-a-kind” and shared memories they made throughout their friendship, which dated back to the “old days” in the ‘90s working on Stern’s Channel 9 show.

“Ralph wasn't just a friend; he was family,” the post read in part.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.