Adam Sandler penned a touching tribute to his Happy Gilmore co-star, the late Carl Weathers.

Weathers passed away in his sleep Feb. 1 at the age of 76, according to his family.

Sandler shared a message praising the actor on Instagram, writing, “A true great man. Great dad. Great actor. Great athlete. So much fun to be around always.”

He continued, “Smart as hell. Loyal as hell. Funny as hell. Loved his sons more than anything. What a guy!! Everyone loved him. My wife and I had the best times with him every time we saw him. Love to his entire family and Carl will always be known as a true legend.”

Julie Bowen, who also starred in the 1996 comedy, also paid tribute to Weathers on social media.

“Dearest Carl, you’ll always be my Chubbs,” she wrote. “What a glorious spirit you had. Thanks for making me smile. I hope they golf wherever you are.”

Weathers starred as Derick “Chubbs” Peterson, Sandler’s golf coach. His character famously only had one hand following a run-in with an alligator.

The actor revealed in 2020 that he sustained a serious injury while filming a stunt for the film.

 “I didn’t know it until years later, but I fractured two vertebrae and osteophytes grew out and connected, and it did a kind of self-fuse in a really bad place,” he told GQ. “There were three or four years there where I was just in excruciating pain.”

Weathers led a long, memorable career in television and film after he landed his breakout role as famed boxer Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise, playing Sylvester Stallone‘s rival and later, his friend, in multiple installments of the series.

His death was announced in a statement from his family.

“He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024,” the statement read. “Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend.”