This is so, so sad.
It’s been nearly three months since Tom Parker passed away following a battle with stage 4 cancer (specifically an inoperable glioblastoma), and his 2-year-old daughter Aurelia is still struggling to process what has happened.
Opening up about how the family is doing in light of the tragic loss, Tom’s wife Kelsey Hardwick appeared on the British talk show Lorraine on Tuesday to discuss their grieving process and promote his best-selling memoir, Hope: My Inspirational Life, which was published in late May.
Related: The Wanted’s Max George Says He Still Texts With The Late Tom Parker
Most heartbreakingly, she revealed that the couple’s toddler still doesn’t understand that her father has passed away, Kelsey shared:
“She does still talk about him every day and she doesn’t quite understand that he’s not coming back.”
Part of the reason the little girl is struggling to process his absence is that she got used to her father going away to join his band The Wanted on tour, something the 33-year-old proudly did right up until his death.
“She’s a bit like, ‘Well, he’s been on tour, so is he gonna come back from this.’ She’s just really confused by it.”
Because of this Kelsey has been forced to be “really blunt” about the devastating situation, she continued:
“So I have to be really blunt [and] say, ‘He’s not coming back, that’s it. He’s dead and he’s not coming back.’”
That must be so tough…
It’s also understandable for Aurelia to be unsure of what’s happening considering she’s still experiencing some of her dad’s lifea long dreams, like the release of his book. In a video clip shared on Instagram at the start of the month just after the memoir hit shelves, the toddler was seen running up to a stand of Tom’s books. She even pulled one from the shelf to hug and kiss it. Take a look:
Aw!
Such a sweet moment. You can tell how much Tom means to them all. No wonder it’s hard to let him go…
Related: The AMAZING Way Ed Sheeran Helped Tom Parker During His Cancer Battle
As seen in the video, the couple also share a 1-year-old son, Bodhi. Despite some confusion, the children are helping their momma stay positive in this new chapter of their lives, she reflected:
“They wake up happy. They wake up in a good mood, so I can’t be sad. He wouldn’t want us to be sad and mourning.”
Whoa. This positive attitude is something that was really important to the musician after he was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor, his wife recalled:
“There’s been laughter in our house for the last 18 months, two years with the diagnosis. We were genuinely happy. We’re all always laughing and having a good time.”
That said, she still struggles with the loss of her “soulmate,” whom she met at just 19 years old, she revealed:
“Don’t get me wrong, I get my bad days. At night, you know, it is lonely. I am lonely, but this is my life. I have to get on with it.”
She even got a bit teary-eyed expressing how much she misses her “best friend,” and all the little moments they’d share throughout the day. We cannot imagine how difficult this must be for her and her children. Check out the full interview (below):
Sending the Parker family lots of love as they process this difficult loss.
[Image via Lorraine/YouTube & Kelsey Parker/Instagram]
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