Jock Zonfrillo’s widow Lauren Fried shares moving tribute to his best mate Jimmy Barnes as he continues to recovery from open heart surgery: ‘They were like brothers’

Jock Zonfrillo's widow Lauren Fried has paid a touching tribute to the late MasterChef Australia judge's close friend Jimmy Barnes amid his ongoing health battle.

The rocker is currently recovering from open heart surgery after being rushed to the ER following complications from bacterial pneumonia.

Lauren shared a sweet throwback photo on Instagram that captured her and Jock having dinner with Jimmy and his wife Jane, and captioned it with some heartfelt words.

'You find people in your life that you just had to meet. Our two Scots found each other, they were like brothers,” she began.

“Jimmy is so impossibly strong – I'd say unbreakable – and that's one of the main reasons he's come through these last few weeks as the extraordinary man he is.

“I can't even begin to list everything that Jimmy and Jane, their kids, their family and their friends have all done for the kids and me this year.

'This is a group of people where you see a drop, they see an ocean. It's the real feeling of a clan. In true Jimmy/Jock style – 2023, that's enough now, you can start right away,” she added.

The Barnes family was quick to comment on their support.

“I miss him so much,” Jimmy wrote, with his wife Jane adding, “We laughed a lot together.”

Lauren said the two Scots were 'like brothers' and thanked the Barnes family for helping her through tough times after Jock died on April 30.

'This is a group of people where you see a drop, they see an ocean. It's the real feeling of a clan. In true Jimmy/Jock style – 2023, that's enough now, you can fuck with it right away,” Lauren added

The families are united in hardship as Jock tragically died on April 30, while Jimmy was recently hospitalized amid an ongoing health battle.

Jimmy informed his followers on Wednesday that he underwent open heart surgery after a bacterial infection spread to his heart.

Barnes was recently rushed to the ER after complications from bacterial pneumonia, but it appears he will make a full recovery soon

After the procedure, the Scottish-born Australian took to Instagram to let his followers know that he is healthy, happy and likely to make a full recovery.

Late last month, Jimmy was forced to cancel his headlining performance at the Rock the Boat cruise festival in Noumea, New Caledonia, after being hospitalized with bacterial pneumonia.

He was subsequently forced to withdraw from his scheduled performance at By The C in Torquay on December 2 after his condition failed to improve.

Jimmy has booked a series of sold-out headlining gigs for January and February, including multiple shows at the Red Hot Summer Tour festival.

Jimmy informed his followers on Wednesday that he underwent open heart surgery after a bacterial infection spread to his heart