The Wanted star Tom Parker's widow thanks Ed Sheeran for help with medical bills
The widow of late The Wanted star Tom Parker has revealed she bought a gift to thank Ed Sheeran for paying some of her husband's medical bills, which she said gave her more time with him.
The singer died at a hospice near the couple’s south-east London home on 30 March at the age of 33, after suffering from an inoperable brain tumour.
Kelsey Parker, speaking on ITV's Lorraine, said she got Suffolk singer-songwriter Sheeran crystals as a thank you gift following the gesture.
“Ed was just amazing, just an unbelievable person," she said. "He was at the Summertime Ball at the weekend and I actually got him a gift... I got him some crystals, because I’m like, what do you get someone who’s got everything?
“But I just wanted to say thank you. What he did for us, for our family, gave me more time with Tom.”
In Parker’s book, titled Hope: My Inspirational Life, released last month, the singer wrote: “I’ve never publicly said this before (and he’ll probably be mad that I’m doing it now) but Ed is a very special man, he even helped out with my medical bills when I was seeking other treatment options and having private immunotherapy treatment.”
His widow also credited her children’s positivity with her ability to keep going.
The 32-year-old told host Lorraine Kelly: “The kids keep me going. They wake up happy, they wake up in a good mood, so then I can’t be sad.
“He wouldn’t want us to be sad and mourning.
“Don’t get me wrong, I get my bad days, of course I do. At night it is lonely. I am lonely, but this is my life, I have to get on with it.”
Earlier this month, she shared a clip on social media of the couple’s two-year-old daughter Aurelia hugging a copy of the book.
The book was published after Parker’s death and the cover features a picture of his face.
Mrs Parker said: “Whenever she sees (pictures of) her dad, she’s like ‘It’s my dad!’ She’ll be three at the end of this month.
“I’ve been really honest, she does still talk about him every day, she doesn’t quite understand he’s not coming back.
“So I’ve had to be really blunt and say he’s not coming back, that’s it, he’s dead and he’s not coming back, because she doesn’t really understand."
After the success of the book, which has become a Sunday Times bestseller, Parker said how much it would mean for him to know he has achieved his dream of being a “top seller”.
Mrs Parker told Kelly: “He’s achieved so much in his life. He lived life really quick and that’s what his mum says. Everything he did he did really quickly. I’ve got two at home exactly the same.”
Kelly responded: “Just like their dad.”
Mrs Parker continued: “That’s how we lived our life – with hope, positivity – that’s how we actually got through each day, because he did get a really bad diagnosis – stage four terminal cancer – and it’s like ‘How do you live life with that?’
“Our house was never sad, it was a happy place to be in. We wanted to write a book and share that with people, that you can be in a really dark place but take some light from it.”