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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Rose Hill & Damon Wilkinson

Tom Parker's widow Kelsey tells of 'beautiful' moment she held his hand as he died

Tom Parker's widow Kelsey has opened up for the first time since his death. The 32-year-old has shared the 'beautiful' moment she held Tom's hand as he died said that he "wasn't in any pain".

The Wanted singer Tom, originally from Bolton, tragically died aged just 33 in March, 18 months after he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Kelsey, who is mother to two children with Tom, opened up about his final hours in the hospice and how they shared a final kiss.

Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, she said: "It was still beautiful until the very end. It was just us and there was so much love in that room.” In tears, Kelsey said that she got into bed with him and that they were together for two hours in there as she just wanted that time with him.

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"I didn’t want anyone coming in," she said. "We needed that time together to talk." Kelsey described it as "romantic" even though they were in a hospice together and said that Tom had always been "so romantic, loving and caring".

Recalling the last conversation she had with Tom, Kelsey said: "I said, ‘You know Tom, I will be OK, the kids will be OK. I will make sure that everything you want them to know, the things that you’ve taught me over the years, I promise to teach them it all’.

“He said, ‘I know you’re going to be OK’. He then took off his wedding ring and put it on my finger." It comes after Kelsey shared a heartfelt poem on her Instagram stories last week following her husband's funeral.

Tom Parker with his wife Kelsey and two children (Kelsey Parker Instagram)

She said: "Grief may feel like the dying of the soul while the body still lives, but you are alive my friend. And they are not, nor do they want you to be with them just yet. They very much want you to live.”

The poem continued: “Do not fear the grief you feel, it’s just love thrashing around, looking for somewhere to go. So give it somewhere to go.” At the end of the post, it said the poem was called ‘I Wish I Knew’ by Donna Ashworth.

Tom's funeral was held on April 20 at St Francis of Assisi Church in Petts Wood, south east London. Fans were invited to line the streets and welcomed outside the church as the service was played out on screens.

Tom and Kelsey Parker (Kelsey Parker Instagram)

Tom’s The Wanted bandmates Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Nathan Sykes and Jay McGuiness were the pallbearers. His poignant funeral song was reportedly Live Forever by Oasis, which was said to be playing as he died surrounded by friends and family.

In a pre-recorded eulogy at the service which left the congregation in tears, Kelsey called Tom her “soulmate” and said he had “taught their children how to be brave”. She added the boy band star would still be alive today “if love alone could have saved him”.

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