Kate Wright pays tribute to boyfriend Rio Ferdinand’s mum after her tragic death from cancer at 58
KATE Wright has paid tribute to Rio Ferdinand's mum after her death from cancer at the age of 58.
The former Towie star shared an emotional message online after her boyfriend's mother Janice St Fort passed away yesterday.
Football legend Rio was left devastated after his mum lost her battle with cancer, just two years after he lost his wife Rebecca Ellison to the disease.
His new girlfriend Kate has now declared her support for the former Manchester United star by sharing a sweet tribute to Janice on her Instagram page.
She posted a meme featuring the words: "Always loved, never forgotten, forever missed."
Kate added in a caption: "She's Royal 🙏🏻💜."
It comes after Rio recently confirmed he has found love with reality star Kate as the pair went public with their romance .
The couple were pictured smiling and holding hands after enjoying dinner at swanky sushi restaurant Roka in London earlier this month.
After Janice's death, a statement issued by Rio, his brother Anton and the family described her as a "devoted mother" and "an inspiration".
It read: "We are heartbroken to announce that our amazing mum Janice passed away today after an ongoing battle with cancer.
"She was an inspiration to us all and was loved by everyone who knew her. She died at Guy's Cancer Unit, London Bridge Hospital, with her loving husband Peter and us, her four children, at her bedside.
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"She was a devoted mother to us all, and she was the most incredible grandmother to our children.
"The whole family are devastated. Our mum was the centre and the heart of our family and has supported us all through many difficult times, always with a smile on her face. Her strength and courage, as well as her great sense of humour and immense kindness, were never-ending.
"We would like to thank all the staff at Guy's Cancer Unit for looking after our mum so well during her illness especially Marta and Joanna as well as everyone who has sent kind wishes to us all during this difficult time."
Rio previously hailed Janice as a “supermum” and said she “cooked and cleaned, and moved heaven and Earth to ensure my younger brother Anton and I got to school or youth clubs on time”.
In an interview with The Guardian in November 2014 Rio spoke of his admiration for Janice.
He said: “Mum was only 17 when she had me, but she was a strong girl.
“Her mum walked out on the family home in Bermondsey when she was eight.
“She was one of six kids, but they all mucked in to help their father run the house.”
The former England ace, 38, recently opened up about losing his wife – who was just 34 when she passed away from breast cancer - in a moving documentary.
He was praised for speaking out about his struggle to raise his children alone following “soulmate” Rebecca’s death.
Rio, 38, was hailed a “warrior”, “brave” and “a brilliant dad” by celebrities and TV fans alike as they watched him break down in tears talking about his late wife in the recent TV doc.
The film revealed how the Premier League star is adjusting to his new life with children Lorenz, 10, Tate, eight, and Tia, five.
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