Tyler Perry melts hearts with throwback picture of his beautiful mom and hearfelt message

Tyler Perry shared an extremely close bond with his late mother, and almost a decade after her death, he continues to mourn her loss.

After Aretha Franklin's funeral, Tyler Perry's feelings about death and the loss of a loved one heightened. This was after he witnessed a good friend of his having to say goodbye to her mother, and this brought him to an all-too-familiar place.

What his friend was feeling during Aretha's death was the same feeling that he had when his mother passed away in 2009, and it's a feeling that he hasn't forgotten: one of grief and pain.

All these feelings came rushing back to him recently, which prompted him to share about a special moment in his mom's life that led him to do what he did to cope with his grief.

Back when he was a child, he recalls his mother being amused by a Jaguar car that they saw on the road. Back then the 7-year-old Tyler promised his mom that he would eventually buy her that car, as she smiled and said "okay baby."

"I was 6 or 7 years old. We were driving in the car, and you saw a Jaguar on the road. You told me how pretty you thought the car was, and I told you that I would buy it for you when I grew up. You just smiled and said, “ok baby.”

30 years later, he did bring up his mom onstage one of his events and handed her the keys to her brand new Jaguar just in time for Mother's Day. She was so happy that day and that made Tyler extremely happy as well.

Speaking to his mom on the Instagram tribute, he says he wasn't sure what exactly made him feel the rush of emotions, but it was heavy, and he missed her so much.

"Maybe it was Aretha’s funeral, sitting for hours in front of a casket that was just like yours, or maybe it’s because I spent some time with a friend’s mother on her death bed. Whatever the reason, today grief came in a wave."

Hoping to feel his mom's presence with him, he decided to take a ride on his mom's car while playing her favorite record and singing at the top of his lungs.

"So I’m gonna go drive your car and put on your favorite Z. Z. Hill record and sing at the top of my lungs. I’m gonna remember the good times until this wave passes. You’re forever with me. I love you Mamma. Willie Maxine Perry 1945-2009"

After Tyler's mom passed away, it's now his long-time girlfriend Gelila Bekele keeping him company every day. While they've stayed away from the spotlight as a couple, they share every happy and sad moment together, and this is most definitely one of the moments where Perry needed her the most.