The One Thing We Should Remember Prince For

Prince's publicist confirmed in a statement Thursday that Prince had died at his home. Bustle has reached out to Prince's representatives and the Carver County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota. The period of mourning began the moment the news broke; and while people are grieving the loss of this undeniably unique and trendsetting artist, there is one thing we should remember Prince for: how much compassion he had, and how much he gave to help those in need.

Prince's selfless acts of generosity have sometimes faded into the shadows of his sparkly outfits, memorable lyrics, and groundbreaking videos. But there was more to this man than many of us knew: He shared the fortune he had amassed with the people around him. In 2011, for example, Prince donated $1.5 million to local charities in New York, with $1 million going to Harlem Children's Zone and another $250,000 each going to Uptown Dance Academy and American Ballet Theatre.

These weren't the only donations Prince made, either. He also supported City of Hope, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Jazz Foundation of America, The Bridge, Urban Farming, H.A.L.O., the Edith Couey Memorial Scholarship Trust Fund, the Elevate Hope Foundation, and the Goss-Michael Foundation. Additionally, Prince supported a variety of causes, from fostering to adoption and from education to world hunger.

Prince paved the way for a new era of music; but it was also the man behind the lyrics that made him someone we'll never forget.

In light of this tragedy, all of us will of course be remembering our favorite Prince songs and music videos — his music will forever stand the test of time. But don't forget to take a quiet moment and pay your respects to a man who also had a huge heart, a giving personality, and one heck of a helping hand.