Justin Bieber Pays Tribute to Late Grandfather Bruce Dale in Emotional Post: ‘I Will Ache’

Dale died on April 24 at Canada’s Rotary Hospice Stratford Perth in Ontario. He was 80.

Justin Bieber and his grandfather Bruce Dale arrive for YouTube Originals' "Justin Bieber: Seasons" premiere in Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan 27, 2020. Lisa O'Connor/AFP via Getty Images

Singer Justin Bieber is mourning the death of his maternal grandfather, Bruce Dale, who passed away on April 24 at age 80.

Bieber, 31, shared an emotional Instagram tribute on Saturday, posting a throwback photo from 2009 of himself with Dale and reflecting on memories from his childhood.

“Papa, I always took all ur money lol,” Bieber wrote. “I remember u specifically telling me, gramma gave u an allowance of 20 dollars for the WEEK! I would always convince you to spend on snacks at the hockey game on Friday nights. Reluctantly you always gave it to me.”

Listing snacks such as “Corn nuts, skittles, gum balls, chuck a puck, slush puppies,” the pop star fondly remembered their time together at junior hockey games, including Dale’s spirited heckling of referees.

“Shout out to the jr b referees Beatty, Fagon, Flanagan lmfao. For enduring all of my grandpa’s heckling for all of your horrible referee calls lmfao. My grandpa wasn’t shy in letting them know that they were being pieces of s---s,” Bieber said.

“I can’t wait to see u again soon in heaven,” he continued. “Until then, I know ur watching down probly [sic] still heckling Beatty or Fagon for missing that cross check call in the corner there lmfao. I will miss u. I will ache. And I’ll sit and let myself remember all of the wonderful times we’ve had.”

Bruce Dale, husband to Diane Dale and father to Pattie Mallette—Bieber’s mother—passed away at the Rotary Hospice Stratford Perth, according to an obituary from W.G. Young Funeral Home in Stratford, Ontario. He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren including Bieber, and six great-grandchildren, including Bieber’s son, Jack-Blues, whom he shares with wife Hailey Bieber.

Dale had been a consistent supporter of Bieber’s career, appearing in the singer’s 2011 documentary film “Never Say Never” and the 2020 docuseries “Justin Bieber: Seasons.”

In a 2018 interview at the Stratford Perth Museum’s “Steps to Stardom” exhibit, Dale spoke emotionally about his grandson’s rise to fame, recalling the eight-hour drive he and his wife once made to surprise Bieber at his first major show.

“Seeing him on stage for the first time was amazing,” he said. “He didn’t know we were coming.”

When asked why speaking about his grandson makes him emotional, Dale responded, “It just happens. I can sit and talk with anybody about anything but when it comes to talking about him, I just get emotional.”