Jennifer Lopez's high school boyfriend David Cruz has died aged 51.
Cruz died in New York on Saturday after being admitted to Mount Sinai West Hospital in Manhattan.
He dated superstar Jennifer Lopez when they were teenagers and they were together for around 10 years.
TMZ.com reports Cruz died of heart diease.
Cruz's longtime partner Isa, told the website: "He was kind and loving.
"He never held on to anything and was always very open. He was a devoted father, he helped raise his step-son who is now in the Marines.
"He loved the Yankees and Knicks. He loved going to the theatre with me. My favorite moment was family date night, because it wasn't just special for me but for the kids as well.
"He always made sure to end things with an 'I love you.'"
Jennifer was just 15 when she got together with Cruz, who was a year older than her at 16.
They were together for around a decade before parting ways in the mid-1990s just as the singer/actress was finding her feet in showbiz.
Jennifer went on to have high-profile romances with stars including Ben Affleck and Sean 'Diddy' Combs, as well as ex-husband Marc Anthony and current fiance Alex Rodriguez.
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