Tom Parker's widow Kelsey had the congregation in tears with her brave and emotional eulogy at her husband's funeral today.
In a pre-recorded message, Kelsey said Tom had 'taught their children how to be brave' in a tribute that left Tom's family and friends - and fans listening on screens outside the church - visibly moved.
Kelsey said she and 'soulmate' Tom 'lived a 1000 lives' in their 13 years together, adding that The Wanted star would still be alive if 'love alone could have saved him.'
Tom tragically died at the age of 33 last month, 17 months after he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, leaving behind his wife Kelsey and their two young children.
In her final goodbye to her husband today, Kelsey shared: "You’ve shown our children how to be brave, courageous and strong.
"Even in our darkest days, we tried to stay positive. Positive Parker’s forever.
"[The children] will always know how much you loved them. And let’s be honest, they now have the best guardian angel looking over them through life and so have I.
“We will carry on your legacy forever.
“I just want to thank Noreen and Nigel (Tom’s parents) for raising the man I fell in love with and bringing him into the world because he is my world.
‘Soulmates ... that is what we are. You were my best friend but more.
"You are the one person in the world who knows me best and who I know better than anyone.
"You are the one who accepted me and believed in me before anyone else did.
"And we truly lived a 1000 years in 13 years.
"We have had a lifetime together and I will carry you, my soulmate, with me until we meet again.
"Our souls are endless. I can still feel you with me now," said the mum.
In her final parting, Kelsey told her husband: "Remember I love you one more than you can ever say,. You will always be my angel Tommy boy in the sky. If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.
‘I love you, babe, from your babe."
After her eulogy Kelsey kissed her husband's coffin goodbye and laid a single white flower on top.
She then whispered 'I love you' before Tom was carried out of church by his close friends.
Live Forever by Oasis - which the singer had playing as he lay dying from a brain tumour - was played during the cremation and The Wanted's hit Gold Forever accompanied well-wishers left the church.
During the service, Kelsey recalled her first meeting with Tom and how she knew instantly that he was the one.
Kelsey said despite the instant attraction, their romance was far from smooth-sailing in their earlier days, as the young couple navigated their blossoming relationship with Tom's sudden rise to fame.
She said: "19 year old me met Tom outside of a nightclub, I say met - I instantly saw him and said ‘oh my god, I love him’."It was love at first sight, even if he didn’t know it yet. We went into the club, tables next to each other and he asked for name which I thought was weird but he told me ‘I wanna add you on facebook’. And the rest is history.
"From that moment I told everyone I wanted to marry Tom Parker.
"Tom had other ideas though cos he had just joined a band called the wanted. I didn’t really believe him, but little did we know, they’d go on to be one of the UK’s biggest boybands.
"Tom told me he was going to be famous and wouldn’t have time for a girlfriend right now, but he didn’t leave me alone.
"We went through lots of ups and downs at the beginning as most young couples do and it all came down to Tom crying in the bathroom of another nightclub to my next door neighbour… who Tom had no idea was my next door neighbour.
"Tom was crying his eyes out saying that he’d lost the love of his life Kelsey, which then led to me getting a phone call from Tom out of the blue and he said ‘i’m ready’."
"And it went from zero to 100," she explained.
The couple went on to marry in 2018 and had two children Aurelia, two, and Bodhi, one, who did not attend Wednesday's service.
“Life with you was never boring," said Kelsey. "Our relationship was fiery and fast-paced because we loved each other so much.
“I have too many stories to tell you all, I could write a book.
“So many people have told me how much you impacted them and changed their life.
“You were the most supportive friend, always coming up with ideas for people to better themselves.
“Your energy was never-ending and your mind was never turned off. Your creativity was out of this world.
“Marrying you was the best day of my life. We had the best wedding I could have ever asked for and I was so honoured to be your wife.
“You stood up for what you believed in and were so patient. You had full on Bolton boy charm.
“Thank you for being the best role model my little brothers could ever have had.
“You didn’t allow your diagnosis to hold you back. You did everything in that time from bringing The Wanted back together to raising money for brain tumour research."
Ahead of the somber occasion, Kelsey asked fans to join Tom's family and friends at the 'celebration of life' and her plea was answered by scores of The Wanted followers who gathered outside to show their support.
Earlier in the day, a horse-drawn procession made it's way through the town with fans lining the high street to say their goodbyes.
Tom's The Wanted bandmates Max George, Jay McGuiness, Nathan Sykes and Siva Kaneswaran had tears in their eyes as they came together to carry their friend's coffin into church.
Max, 33, also shared a moving eulogy.
The singer said Tom would 'always be a brother to me and my bandmates' and they would never forget his laugh.
During his speech, he sparked a rare moment of laughter by sharing that Tom was "the only member of The Wanted to have a punch up with The Wanted'
"All I've got to say is he's left us far too early.
"We'll miss him so much and I think the heartbreak shared here today is a credit to the love Tom spread around the world, outside. It's a credit to him. You rest easy mate."
