wife's agony
Jonnie Irwin gave wife his blessing to find love again in heartbreaking interview
There was a mass outpouring of love for Jonnie following news of his tragic death
JONNIE Irwin selflessly gave his wife his blessing to find love again in a heartbreaking final interview before his death.
The A Place in the Sun presenter passed away last night aged 50 following a three-and-a-half year battle with lung cancer.
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He leaves behind wife Jess, his eldest son Rex, and twins Rafa and Cormac, born in June 2020.
But during an exclusive interview with The Sun last year Jonnie revealed he wanted Jess to feel free to move on after his death - something she refused to entertain.
Jess told us: "I can think of the support I’ll need and that sort of thing but when it comes to me, my life is the boys. That’s enough for me. That’s where my thinking stops.
“It terrifies me that I’m suddenly going to be in a house on my own, the sole adult with three young boys. The prospect of being a single mum and a widow is awful to think about.
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“I never chose to do this on my own. I picked Jonnie because I knew he would be an amazing dad and life partner."
Jonnie was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2020. Tragically, the cancer spread to his brain and in 2022 he revealed he had just six months to live.
Last night Jess called her brave husband "magical" and vowed to make him proud in a post on Instagram.
She wrote: 'Good night my favourite. Thank you for everything'.
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"I will always love you. The hardest day has come, a day I prayed wouldn’t come. It’s with all the the saddness in the world that I confirm Jonnie has passed away earlier today'.
My life is the boys - that's enough for me
Jess Holmes
"His magical brain that continued to fight to the end has now gone to sleep. He has given me more than I could ever have wished for, 8 bonkers years of love and adventure and 3 amazing boys.
"It really wasn’t fair and you didn’t deserve any of this. You gave so much time to others and touched everyone you met, I have never experienced anything like the effect you had on people. I love you so much and forever proud of you xxx."
Brave Jonnie Irwin showed fans around his family home in final video days before tragic death
There was a mass outpouring of love for the popular presenter with fans, friends and co-stars all paying their respects and sharing memories.
Jonnie's heartbroken co-star Danni Menzies was among those who paid tribute.
The 31-year-old reshared a post with a poem by Ida Banks.
It read: "When we die I want to believe that we are scattered throughout all the people that have ever loved us.
"That we will continue to exist in them, in their bloodstreams, for generations, for lifetimes."
LUNG CANCER SYMPTOMS
Experts at Cancer Research UK warn there are nine common symptoms of the disease.
- Having a cough most of the time
- Having a change in a cough you have had for a long time - it may sound different or be painful when you cough
- Getting out of breath doing the things you used to do without a problem
- Coughing up phlegm (sputum) with blood in it
- Having an ache or pain in the chest or shoulder
- Chest infections that keep coming back or a chest infection that doesn't get better
- Losing your appetite
- Feeling tired all the time (fatigue)
- Losing weight
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