I'M SO CONFUSED?! Does he like me!?

I've been talking to this guy for about a week and he's been really flirty and saying im beautiful and sending '<3333333333333333333333' to me all the time. Just genuinely saying things like he wants to be mine and things but all flirtatiously. This has been going good for about 6days until yesterday. Yesterday I had some bad news that my uncle had died, and up until about 12.30pm things with me and the guy were going great, then he took hours to reply and then i took hours to reply, then I had to speak to him first after him ignoring me for like 5hours and I asked him if i was annoying him always talking to him he said 'No I love talking to you :') <3333333' (Fewer hearts) then I told him about my uncle dying and he said 'ohh im sorry babes, im here for you if you ever need anything <3' I said thanks and he hasn't spoken to me since 9.02pm last night. He was online and usually he talks to me all night and all day..I don't know what to do:/ does it sound like he likes me?!