Tom Parker's widow says late star is no longer 'her husband in this lifetime'

19 January 2024 , 10:40

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Tom Parker's widow says late star is no longer 'her husband in this lifetime'

Tom Parker's widow Kelsey has spoken of her heartbreaking decision to remove her wedding ring during an appearance on Lorraine.

The 33-year-old was left broken after her husband tragically passed away from brain cancer aged just 33 in March 2022 but found love again with electrician Sean Boggans eight months later before the pair called it quits in the run up to Christmas. Weeks on, she has made a very difficult decision to take it off as she aims to 'put herself first' in 2024.

Tom died two years after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour known as glioblastoma multiforme. Kelsey is now bringing up their young children Aurelia and Bodhi and says removing her wedding rings is the next step in the grieving process as she continues to come to terms with his death.

Kelsey Parker explains why she's taken off her wedding ring after 'really difficult Christmas' (ITV)

In a lengthy Instagram post earlier this month, she wrote: "Hi everyone, hope you have had a lovely Sunday. I wanted to share something with you all this evening. It’s something I’ve been thinking long and hard about for a while now, and as we end the first week of a new year, I have decided to take off my rings.

"It felt really painful every time I looked at them and I have been torturing myself over when will be the right time. I know now there will never be a right or wrong time, but there does have to come a point in my life when I remove them. Of course I’ll always be Tom’s, he’ll always be in my heart and I know I will forever be in his, but right now, in this world I’m not married anymore as much as that breaks my heart to admit.

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"I’m not sure what I’m going to do with them yet. One day I’d love for Rae to have them, but right now I want to do something special with them. I’m not ready to totally let go of them. I’ve thought about wearing them around my neck or framing them and putting them in the space I create with Tom’s music stuff. Does anyone else have any other ideas or thoughts on this?"

"Sometimes I wonder if I’ve left them on too long and other times I think I just expected to wear them forever. How do I protect and honour my marriage to Tom while not living in the past?! Anyway, I’m going on here, but it is something I wanted to share with you all as you give me so much love and support. Please do send me any ideas you have of what I could do with my rings, and no hate please! I want 2024 to be a positive year and I have no space for negative energy or comments. Love and light xxx"

Speaking to TV presenter and Lorraine host, Christine Lampard on Friday's instalment of the ITV show, Kelsey further explained why she made the difficult decision to remove her ring as she sets her sights on putting herself first this year after caring for Tom before his death and bringing up their two small children alone after he passed.

Tom died after a battle with brain cancer (being_kelsey/Instagram)

Tom Parker's widow Kelsey is hoping to 'move forward' after taking off wedding ring (being_kelsey/Instagram)

"I am married to Tom but not in this lifetime anymore. He's not here anymore. I'm not actually married to anyone, because he's not here. I was always looking down at it and remembering the happy times we had but then also it's a reminder to me that he's not here with me anymore," Kelsey explained.

"I feel like I'm a lot clearer this year. I need to focus on myself and my children and just moving forward and I feel like taking my wedding ring off is a symbol. It just needs to be in a box now," she added.

Following Kelsey's confession, Lorraine viewers flocked to X, formerly known as Twitter, to praise the young mum-of-two. "Kelsey is such a brave young woman. For someone who is only 33, she has lived through so much pain already and shouldn't have to justify why she feels the need to take off her ring," one commented.

"Kelsey has done the right thing in my opinion," another echoed. While someone else agreed: "Tom would want her to be happy. She cannot live in his shadow and she needs to think of herself from now on. What a wonderfully brave woman."

Kelsey's new book, called With Or Without You is available to buy now. Buy it, here.

Susan Knox