Machine Gun Kelly (born Colson Baker) has expressed his deep sorrow over the passing of his close friend, Luke Trembatch, also known as ‘The Dino,’ in an emotional tribute shared on Instagram. The 34-year-old musician posted a heartfelt homage on Friday, March 7, honoring the late Australian snowboarder, who passed away in February at the age of 38. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
In the poignant post, Kelly opened up about the profound impact Trembatch had on his life and how his passing adds a bittersweet tone to the upcoming birth of his child with ex-fiancée Megan Fox.
“It’s crazy… I didn’t even cry this hard when my dad died,” Kelly wrote alongside a carousel of photos featuring the two friends over the years. “I’ve lost a lot of friends, but I never lost a brother. We’ll never get another Dino on this planet. A true rock star without ever making a song, the most loyal, loud, charismatic, funny, and annoying person I’ve ever had the honor of knowing.”
Kelly also shared how difficult it was to break the news of Trembatch’s death to his 15-year-old daughter, Casie, who had formed a close bond with the snowboarder. (Kelly shares Casie with his ex, Emma Cannon.)
“Telling my daughter you were gone was one of the hardest phone calls because she loved you so much,” Kelly recalled. “And I’ll never forget when she was too young to understand your name was Dino, so she called you Ping Pong.”
He continued, “I feel like you and my new child will meet, dressed in a funny costume, laughing and getting them ready to send them down. I couldn’t ask for a more bittersweet blessing.”
Kelly concluded his tribute with a moving message: “Life will always feel smaller without you, but legends never die. We all miss you, brother. Dino forever. EST 4LIFE.”
Kelly and Fox are currently expecting their first child together. The couple quietly parted ways in November 2024, shortly after Fox announced her pregnancy. Fox is already a mother to three sons—Noah, 12, Bodhi, 10, and Journey, 8—whom she shares with her ex-husband, Brian Austin Green.
The former couple has had an on-again, off-again relationship since they first connected in 2020 while working on the film Midnight in the Switchgrass. However, their latest split appears to be permanent, with Fox focusing on maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
“Megan is moving on independently and isn’t interested in revisiting the past,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in February. “She’s focusing on her pregnancy and isn’t looking back. She’s deeply hurt by how things ended but is focusing on healing.”
As Kelly and Fox navigate their new chapter, Kelly’s tribute to Trembatch serves as a reminder of the enduring impact of friendship and the profound sense of loss that comes with saying goodbye to a loved one.
