Jock Zonfrillo's widow marks first Christmas since husband's death in new post
Jock Zonfrillo's widow Lauren Fried opened up about celebrating her first Christmas without him in an emotional new post.
MasterChef Australia judge Jock died at the end of April at the age of 46. He was a renowned chef as well as a judge on the popular cooking competition. His restaurant, Orana in South Australia, was highly popular before it closed down in 2020. At the time, Jock's family confirmed the sad news in a statement shared on social media.
They asked for privacy as they shared their devastation while paying tribute to him. Jock and wife Lauren share children Alfie and Isla. He also has Ava and Sophia from previous marriages. After celebrating their first Christmas without him, widow Lauren took to social media to pen how difficult it was.
Along with a video montage of her children unwrapping presents and playing games, she said: "It’s different this year. No less love or excitement, just my stubbornness to see the kid’s faces light up in spite of it all. As much as I willed yesterday to be over, I can’t skip this chapter. The long list of firsts, I hear they get easier, I believe that to be true.
"Watching our gorgeous children navigating their first Xmas, I can see now that tragedy will make them. It will make them fierce and fearless, they’ll have a strength no one can quite put their finger on. And they will undoubtedly have a life bigger than the one Jock and I dreamt for them because of this. They’ll be stronger in the broken bits."
She continued: "As a family, we have been privileged to receive kindness beyond measure this past week, and across the whole year actually, during what has been a tough year for so many. Thank you. Loz."
Jock died in his hotel room at Zagame’s House on Lygon Street in Carlton, Melbourne on April 30. Authorities found him at approximately 2 am on May 1 - the same day Channel Ten was going to premiere the fifteenth season of MasterChef Australia. Police officers believed that he died of natural causes.
The 15th season of MasterChef was delayed for a week and fellow judge Andy Allen shared a message from Jock's wife Lauren. Andy said: "I saw Lauren and the kids last night, I went and cooked them some food and they just wanted me to say how much they can feel the support for Jock and themselves.
"They're hurting but it does help. They've been overwhelmed with how much support there has been for him and the family. They didn't know – just like you and I – it's been unreal to see how much support and where it's come from and who it's come from.
"So, yeah, they just wanted for me to say they feel it. It's tough, but they feel it," Andy added as he held back tears.