Madonna mourns her protégé and iconic Levi's model Nick Kamen: 'It breaks my heart'

Madonna has shared a touching tribute to her protégé — the late model and singer Nick Kamen — in an emotional tweet shared after the entertainer's death earlier this week.

"It breaks my heart to know you are gone," Madonna tweeted in remembrance of the 59-year-old, whom she worked with as a songwriter and producer on his debut single, "Each Time You Break My Heart," in 1986.

She called Kamen a "kind sweet human" who "suffered too much," seemingly with regard to his battle with bone marrow cancer.

"Hope you are happier wherever you are," she finished, further sharing several photos of Kamen, including a black-and-white photo of the pair posing together.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images; Fryderyk Gabowicz/picture alliance via Getty Images Madonna remembers Nick Kamen in touching tweet after his death.

In addition to writing and producing Kamen's first single (which ultimately reached No. 5 on the U.K. charts), Madonna also provided background vocals on the track and another of the British performer's songs, "Tell Me," in 1988.

The Essex-born Kamen rose to prominence as a sex symbol in 1985 at age 18 after appearing in a popular Levi's 501 jeans commercial in which he strips down to his underwear at a laundromat while others look on.

Related content:

• Nick Kamen, singer and iconic '80s Levi's commercial model, dies at 59: Reports

• Madonna hits Britney Spears with a sweet 'Baby One More Time' lip-sync tribute

• Diablo Cody didn't 'quit' Madonna biopic despite reports: studio source