Kelsey Parker has made a candid admission about Christmas as she prepare for her first without her husband Tom. The The Wanted star tragically died in March this year following a battle with terminal brain cancer glioblastoma.
Tom's diagnosis came shortly before he and Kelsey, who married in July 2018, welcomed their second child, a son named Bodhi in October 2020. They also have a daughter Aurelia who they welcomed in July 2019.
Since boyband star Tom's heartbreaking death on March 30, Kelsey has regularly shared on social media about her late husband while keeping his memory alive for their two young children, Aurelia Rose, three, and Bodhi, now two. She also filmed an ITVBe documentary series which saw her navigating life after the loss of her husband.
Taking to Instagram on Thursday evening (December 23), her latest update saw Kelsey share how she is finding things difficult due to her grief and the time of year, also coupled with the fact that she'd be sadly attending her grandfather's funeral today (Friday).
In videos posted to her Instagram Story, Kelsey said: "Hey everyone, I know a lot of you have been checking in with me today and I just really appreciate it, thank you so much. Today's been a real struggle. It's my grandad's funeral tomorrow, so I think that's like bringing, like surfacing a lot of grief and trauma and probably a bit of post-traumatic stress. It's just been so tough."
Kelsey shared how she had been "caught off guard" by a sudden surge of emotions after finishing wrapping gifts for her kids ahead of Christmas Day on Sunday. "And you know what I've spent the evening doing? Wrapping presents," she went on. "And not that Tom would have ever helped me actually wrap a present.
"I don't think for the whole 13 years I was with him, he actually never wrapped a present, except for mine and I blatantly know he got someone else to wrap them. It was writing the gift tags. Like ‘To Ray, to Bo, Merry Christmas, Lots of love Mummy’. Like that really, really got me tonight. It caught me by surprise.
"And I sat there and I was writing them and I was like all these presents are just from me. I don't know, this is the thing with grief, it literally catches you off guard. And I think deep down I did know this because that's why I've just been putting off Christmas. I've literally just been dreading, dreading Christmas."
Trying to keep positive, something which she and Tom did before his death, added: "But I've got to make the best of what I've got. I've also gotta do it for the kids. I've gotta make sure that this is an amazing Christmas for them. I'm just going to be so heartbroken. Nothing like a funeral a few days before Christmas. I've got a poem that I'm reading for the funeral. And I've been going through that this morning. That just absolutely tore me apart." She ended her video: "I mean, what a year."
Kelsey emotionally announced the death of her grandad earleir this month. Posting a snap of Peter, as well as one of them together when she was younger, she penned: "I’m very sad to share that we lost my beloved Grandad 2.12.22. Peter Morris. My Grandad. My hero.
"He was like a Dad to me and raised me and my brother Sammy as his own. He set us on the right path with his knowledge of life and I am forever grateful to him. The funniest, wittiest, caring man known. He was so proud of his family. A dedicated family man who was always there when you needed him.
"My Grandad had the most infectious laugh and it makes me smile when I think of it now. My babies adored their Great Grandad Peter and he adored them. Grandad, thank you for being you and being my biggest supporter ever. I will miss your stories, your lectures on life, your cycling stories and your pure wind up self!"
She then ended her post: "I know you’re up there now with Tom and your boy Neil having a glass of red. This isn’t goodbye, just good night. Ta lah."
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