A pre-recorded message from Tom Parker’s widow Kelsey was played at the star's funeral service on Wednesday, April 21, and the bittersweet message resonated with the congregation. The Wanted singer died on Wednesday, March 30, having announced in October 2020 that he had been diagnosed with an inoperable grade 4 tumour.
The couple had married in 2018 and have a daughter, Aurelia Rose, born in 2019 and son, Bodhi, born in October last year. During the funeral service, Kelsey's message was played, in which she shared anecdotes about how she met "her soulmate" at a nightclub before he shot to fame with The Wanted.
She said: “From that moment I told everyone I wanted to marry Tom Parker.” The congregation erupted into laughter as she said: “Tom told me he was going to be famous and wouldn’t have time for a girlfriend, but he wouldn’t leave me alone
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"I will treasure every memory because life with you was never dull. You were always coming up with songs, new game shows and we all know how much you loved an invention – I bet you were gutted you never made it on Dragons’ Den."
Dressed in a black and gold flecked jacket, she added: “Marrying you was the best day of my life… soulmates, that’s what we are.” The funeral service began with a violinist-accompanied version of You Raise Me Up sung by Ollie Marland, who wore sunglasses. A number of emotional renditions followed including Handbags And Gladrags, accompanied again by a violinist and sung by Ruth Anne Cunningham. She also sung a rendition of Amazing Grace.
Tom's band mates, including Nottinghamshire's own Jay McGuiness, carried the coffin of the 33-year old to his final resting place at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish Church in south-east London. The coffin was carried out of the church to The Wanted’s hit song Gold Forever.
Crying as she did so, Kelsey placed a single white rose inside the hearse before the singer’s body was taken to a crematorium. Friends, family and fans lined the street clapping and cheering as the body of the 33-year-old was driven away. Bandmates Max George and Jay McGuiness were seen wiping away tears.
