Elton John pays tribute to Elizabeth Taylor: “She was without a doubt one of the greatest people I’ve ever met in my life.”

Elizabeth Taylor and Elton John both used their enormous celebrity to raise money for AIDS research and patient care.

On Wednesday night at a concert in Pennsylvania, Elton dedicated Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me to the beloved actress and activist. But before he sang, he said to the audience: “Today I lost a friend and you lost a hero named Elizabeth Taylor. She was not just a movie star, although she was a huge movie star and there will never be anyone like her again … She was without a doubt one of the greatest people I’ve ever met in my life.

“She stood up when no one was prepared to stand up and be counted against AIDS,” continued John, who grew close to the two-time Oscar winner over their shared interest in raising money for the disease. She supported everybody in that with 1,000 percent of her body and her fiber. But most of all she loved people. She fought for the underdog. She was an incredible woman and I was privileged to have known her.”

“God bless you, Elizabeth. God knows how we’re going to replace you.”