The Wanted star Tom Parker has sadly passed away at age of 33, after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer back in 2020.
The singer leaves behind his beloved wife Kelsey, 32, and their two children, Aurelia, two, and one year old Bodhi.
Kelsey took to Instagram to announce the heartbreaking news on Wednesday 30 March, writing: "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we confirm Tom passed away peacefully earlier today with all of his family by his side.
"Our hearts are broken, Tom was the centre of our world and we can’t imagine life without his infectious smile and energetic presence."
Dad-of-two Tom revealed he'd been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in 2020, and with this in mind, he warned that he only had 12 to 18 months left to live.
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Speaking to OK! about his diagnosis, Tom said at the time: "I knew something wasn't right, but I never expected it to be this. You never think this will happen to you."
Kelsey added: "I'm still in complete shock, it's so much to take in. It has been a crazy six weeks. We had an inkling that something was wrong in July, but we never could have imagined it was this."
She continued, saying: "It still doesn't feel real. I don't think Tom will ever process this information. It's horrendous. Watching your partner go through this is so hard, because how can I tell him to not let it consume him?
"I take his phone away from him, because otherwise he will sit there and Google things and then end up in a hole. The more you Google, the worse possible stuff it throws at you, and that's not good for anyone."
Tom started treatment shortly after his heartbreaking diagnosis, and continued to stay positive as he kept his fans updated with his progress on social media.
A year after his initial announcement, he opened up about his cancer battle in his Channel 4 documentary, Inside My head.
The singer tearfully explained how he initially struggled to process his diagnosis, saying: "I spent three months of last year just laying in that bed. There was just so much to contend with. You're not just dealing with cancer, you're dealing with how other people can treat you.
"There's so much running through my mind. I don't want people to treat me differently because I've got something."
The star went on to explain that while he wanted a prognosis, his wife Kelsey and his brother didn't want him to find out.
The life expectancy for someone with such an illness ranges from three months to 18 months, following their diagnosis.
Tom started treatment shortly after his initial diagnosis, in the hope of prolonging his life. The star underwent 30 radiotherapy sessions and 30 rounds of chemotherapy, but the impact of the treatment left him struggling to walk.
In his documentary, he spoke to his bandmates, Max George, Nathan Sykes, Jay McGuiness and Siva Kaneswaran, where he revealed that his treatment has left his voice "a bit hoarse".
He also admitted: "I can't even walk round the kitchen let alone dance."
However, in November 2021 Tom revealed the happy news that his tumour has shrunk, and was now "under control".
The 33 year old also outlined his hopes of being cancer-free by March 2022, and told The Sun at the time: "You’ll always be classed as terminal.
"They give you 12 to 18 months of survival. But that’s the general statistics. Everyone we’ve spoken to has been way, way beyond that."
"Now, we’re aiming to be cancer-free by March. That’s the aim. This disease is always there. You might have residual cells but just not active. So, we’ll just carry on, just crack on and see where we get to."
In February, Tom and Kelsey jetted off to Spain for revolutionary treatment, with Tom spending a week in a private hospital.
He underwent the £4000 a week treatment in the hope of being fit enough to perform at The Wanted's upcoming comeback shows.
The star performed with his bandmates earlier this month, joining them on stage while sitting on a throne.
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