For Mel Schilling’s close friends and co-stars, including John Aiken, things "won’t be the same now" the star has passed away.
Married at First Sight (MAFS) star Mel’s passing was announced on Tuesday, March 24, just 12 days after she bravely shared that she had been suffering from cancer that had become terminal.
John, who starred with Mel on the breakout reality series for over 10 years, was close to tears as he stopped by The Today Show in their native Australia to pay tribute to the "fighter" and "real shining light" that was Mel, sharing some memories of the two and revealing how he thinks she’d like fans to remember her.
John told the hosts, "One of the things I loved about Mel was that she was such a fighter and she never complained. Whether she was on set or off set, she just was a breath of fresh air, a real shining light."
While Mel’s illness seemed to take hold suddenly, John shared that he was still able to visit Mel and her husband, Gareth, this week, calling it both "a very emotional time" and a "very special time".
When the hosts of the show asked John what the pair got up to when cameras weren’t rolling, John shared, "One of the things about Mel is that she lights up a room. Anyone that knows her knows that she's got this real vitality and energy.
"While you might see her giving a serve to one of the couples on the couch during a commitment ceremony, off set we would often sing, dance, she'd FaceTime her daughter and we'd sneak in the odd lolly or two just to keep ourselves awake".
John also dedicated a social media post to his late friend, adding "I am heartbroken, devastated and finding it hard to breathe" and calling it "a privilege and an honor" to have worked alongside Mel for over a decade.
He also wrote in the caption, "Dearest Mel - I want to thank you for everything you have given me over the past decade. I am distraught. Sadly and devastatingly I have to accept that you are now gone."
After MAFS became a global phenomenon across the world, John reminisced on how the two shared that unique journey together, calling her his "partner in crime" and noting, movingly, that things won’t ever be the same again.
"One of the things that Mel and I often sort of laughed about and connected on was the fact that we started out on a show 10 years ago which no one thought was going to be successful. When it blew up, we just held on and just went for the ride.
"She was my partner in crime through all of this. I couldn't have done it without her. It won't be the same now.
"It's very hard for me to get my head around her not being there."
Inspired by Mel’s own positivity and vitality, John also talked about how he thinks Mel would want her fans and friends to move forward, urging people to tell those closest to them "that you love them".
He shared, "I think she would be looking at silver linings, saying that you've got to keep moving forward, keep fighting, lean on people that are really close to you and tell them that you love them."
"She was very emotional", he continued, "She would wear her heart on a sleeve, particularly in that hair and make-up tent. We had so many deep and meaningfuls in there.
"I just think she had that ability to just push forward.
"She was dealing with a lot in terms of this very aggressive cancer, and yet you would have never known it. She just kept fighting, never complained, and just pushed forward. I think that's what she would tell everyone to do."
