Russell Crowe says his dog was hit by a truck and died in his arms on anniversary of his dad’s passing

Russell Crowe is mourning his pet dog Louis, who died in his arms after being hit by a truck, the actor said in a tweet.

The 58-year-old "Gladiator" star announced Louis' death — which Crowe said happened on the two-year anniversary of the death of his father — in a heartbreaking post March 30.

"This is Louis the Papillion. 16 months old. Tiny, cheeky, brave. He won my heart. Unfortunately today, on the second anniversary of my fathers passing, Louis was hit by a truck," Crowe wrote next to a close-up picture of Louis.

He added, "We tried to get him to the vet, but he died in my arms while I was telling him how much we loved him."

Appearing on the March 31 episode of the Australian radio "Kyle & Jackie O Show," Crowe opened up about the impact of losing Louis. During the interview, co-host Kyle Sandilands offered his condolences and asked if Crowe was OK.

"No, we're actually a little devastated," the actor responded. "He was such a beautiful little pup, and he kind of wrapped us around him and we shaped our lives around him. So that's going to take a little time to get past."

Several of Crowe's famous friends commented on his tweet to share their condolences.

"So sorry to hear this ... My heart goes out to you," wrote former "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" star Vincent D’Onofrio.

"So sorry mate. Sending love," musician Ben Lee commented.

In December, the “A Beautiful Mind” star tweeted a photo of himself snuggling with Louis as the pair wore matching Ralph Lauren polo shirts.

“I’m not at all a fan of dressing dogs up, but, a friend bought little Louis a ⁦@RalphLauren polo so he can match with dad. I think the other dogs on the farm are going to get jealous. Pretty funny,” the actor wrote alongside the picture.

The Oscar winner, who was born in New Zealand and grew up in Australia, announced the death of his father, John Crowe, at age 85 on Twitter, March 30, 2021.

“I arrived back in the bush last night. Today, although the sun is shining and the torrential rain has abated, this date will forever be tinged with sadness. My dear old man, my beautiful dad, the most gentle of men, has passed away,” the actor wrote.

In a series of follow-up tweets, Crowe spoke about his father's legacy.

"I had a father who’s pride in my efforts gave me strength. I had a father who was married to my mother for 59 years and 4 months. Until death, they had never parted. I had a father I wish for everyone else. Grief has a thousand shards, but love is stronger," Crowe wrote.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com