Tom Parker's widow Kelsey celebrated what would have been his 35th birthday with a heartbreaking tribute on social media. The Wanted singer died in March 2022 following an 18-month battle with glioblastoma. He was diagnosed with an inoperable tumour in October 2020.
He is survived by his wife, Kelsey, 33, and their children Aurelia, three, and Bodhi, two. Kelsey has been honest about her journey with grief and shares candid updates with her 416,000 followers on Instagram. On August 4, she took to her page to share a carousel of throwback photos of Tom with her and the children as she paid tribute to him on his birthday.
The first photo had Tom holding Bodhi as he smiled at the camera while Aurelia stood up smiling next to him. A birthday cake sat on the table in front of him. "Happy Birthday to a superhero Hubby/Daddy," it read. The next photo showed another elaborate birthday cake from a different birthday in the shape of a giant cheeseburger. Kelsey also shared a sweet car selfie and a collage of photos of the two looking head over heels for each other.
"We miss you every day. But these days are harder," she captioned the post. "Happy birthday forever our superhero." Fans rushed to the comment section to share their support for Kelsey, with one writing: "He would be so proud of his girl and his babies. Always remember that. What a man he truly was." Love Island star Shaughna Phillips posted: "happy birthday Tom, thinking of your gorgeous family today, he’ll be with you today and every day," while Vicky Pattison said: "Sending you love mate. Happy Birthday Tom."
Despite chemotherapy and 30 radiotherapy sessions, Tom died from incurable stage 4 cancer, with Kelsey at his side. Glioblastoma, the most lethal of all cancers for people under 40, has a typical life expectancy of three to six months. She explained to the Mirror recently that talking to friends and family helps her heal. “For me, it’s talking to people. If I’m having a bad day, I will talk about it. I talk to everyone – my mum is brilliant, and I’m lucky to have an amazing manager who is great to talk to. [There are} So many people.
Tom Parker's widow Kelsey reveals struggle about living with grief as she looks ahead to 2023“My life is never going to be the same. I’m not the same Kelsey I was three years ago and I am never going to be that person again," she said. “It has been really tough for me. I’ve just got to do anything that makes me happy – it’s about my happiness. Without a doubt, I approach life differently now. I take each day as it comes – we’re not guaranteed tomorrow."