X Factor star Chris Maloney inconsolable as his beloved nan dies after a stroke
CHRIS Maloney was inconsolable today after his nan - known to millions of X Factor viewers as his biggest cheerleader - died after suffering a stroke.
The 41-year-old singer revealed today that Pat O'Brien had passed away, explaining: "My heart is now officially 💔 broken. I will never get over this hurt."
Pat became almost as famous as her grandson during his spell on the 2012 series of X Factor after she turned up in T-shirts bearing his face and he dedicated a number of his performances to her.
Chris tweeted today: "My beautiful Grandmother passed away this afternoon and my life will never be the same again. I will never get over this hurt. RIP Mar until we meet again xx."
A rep for the star explained: "Chris Maloney's beloved nan Pat had an epileptic fit at home last week and was admitted to Aintree hospital in Merseyside last Wednesday.
"The fit bought on a stroke but she was recovering well in hospital and she was talking and seemed to be doing well.
"On Monday she took a turn for the worst and at 2pm this afternoon she passed away peacefully with Christopher his mum and sister by her bedside."
Today Chris also paid tribute to the medical staff who scared for Pat, tweeting: "Thank you so much to ALL the doctors, nurse's and staff @AintreeHospital who did all they could to save my Grandmother, you did an incredible job. My sincere gratitude 💔."
X Factor fans saw the close bond between Nana Pat and the singer when Chris's X Factor mentor Gary Barlow visited her home prior to the show final, where he came third.
From Chris' first audition, where he belted out a cover of Bette Midler hit The Rose, Nana Pat proved the former call centre worker's biggest fan.
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She insisted: “If he can do anything for you, he’ll do it. If I want anything he’s there. - he’ll cook anything, take you anywhere. He hasn’t got a bad bone in his body.”
Pat ran into medical problems in 2016 when she was rushed into hospital in Liverpool after suffering a brain aneurysm following a fall at her home.
He told the Liverpool Echo: “There was blood everywhere, it looked like a murder scene. We thought someone had broken in and attacked her. It was horrendous.”
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