Tom Parker's Widow Shares A Heartbreaking Statement At His Funeral
There's no doubt that the death of singer Tom Parker has shattered hearts across the world. Tom, who was a member of the wildly popular boy band The Wanted, faced a very public battle with glioblastoma. In October 2020, Parker shared his cancer diagnosis with fans on Instagram. "There's no easy way to say this, but I've sadly been diagnosed with a Brain Tumour, and I'm already undergoing treatment," he wrote. "We decided, after a lot of thought, that rather than hiding away and trying to keep it a secret, we would do one interview where we could lay out all the details and let everyone know the facts in our own way."
Following his cancer diagnosis, Tom remained active on social media, sharing plenty of photos of his wife and two children. In the weeks leading up to his death, the singer continued doing what he loved — performing with The Wanted. According to Metro, he performed at his final show in Liverpool on March 17 on the band's last tour date. Weeks later, he died. Tom's wife, Kelsey Parker, shared a heartbreaking post on Instagram to inform fans of the news in late March. "Tom passed away peacefully earlier today with all of his family by his side," she wrote. "Our hearts are broken, Tom was the centre of our world and we can't imagine life without his infectious smile and energetic presence."
Kelsey also shared more poignant words at the singer's funeral, and it's absolutely heartbreaking.
Kelsey Parker lovingly remembers 'soulmate' Tom Parker
It's never easy to lose somebody you love, and Tom Parker's widow, Kelsey Parker, knows the heartache all too well. The Wanted singer's funeral was held in late April in London, and all of the singer's bandmates were in attendance. According to the Daily Mail, Kelsey pre-recorded a gut-wrenching tribute to her husband, which played on screens outside the church. Tom's wife reminisced about their first meeting at a nightclub and how it was life-changing. "From that moment, I told everyone I wanted to marry Tom Parker," she shared. Kelsey added, "Tom told me he was going to be famous and wouldn't have time for a girlfriend, but he wouldn't leave me alone."
Kelsey sprinkled in a few jokes here and there, including one about how Tom was likely "gutted" he "never made it on Dragons' Den." She added, "Marrying you was the best day of my life ... soulmates, that's what we are." And Kelsey's closing words likely didn't leave a dry eye in the house. "If love alone could have saved you, you would have lived forever," she said.
Sky News reported that the singer's Wanted bandmates — Jay McGuiness, Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, and Nathan Sykes — served as pallbearers. Former One Direction star Liam Payne was also in attendance. Fans lined the streets in East London to pay their respects to the singer, and no detail went unnoticed. Fittingly, there was a display of flowers that read "Glad You Came" in honor of the band's hit song.