Kelsey Parker, the widow of Tom Parker, has spoken out about her relationship with Sean Boggans.
Tom of boyband The Wanted died in March last year at the age of 33 after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, leaving Kelsey, their daughter Aurelia, four, and son Bodhi, two.
Joining Kaye Adams, Sunetra Sarker, Nadia Sawalha and Jane Moore on Loose Women today, Kelsey opened up on her new relationship with Boggans, noting:
“It’s really hard, we’re trying a new relationship and I am grieving someone and it’s really, really hard for both of us but do you know what, I’m really, really happy and deserve a little bit of happiness.
“This is the thing, I wanted the fairytale with Tom. I wanted the fairytale happy ending but that didn’t happen for me so how now do I move forward with my life? I put Tom first, I put the children first. I just feel like now I need a bit of happiness.”
Kelsey also addressed others’ ‘judgement’ online:
“I just think that it was really tough for me at the weekend and I just wanted to say to people, ‘It’s ok for me to be happy and please don’t judge me because I’ve really been through it and I don’t need the judgement’.
“As long as my children are happy and my family are happy for me, Tom’s family are happy for me, that’s all that matters.”
Taking a swipe at those who have sent meanspirited messages, she added:
“Just go and spend time with your family, get offline, and stop trolling people!”
Discussing how she keeps Tom’s memory alive for her two young children, Kelsey said:
“Do you know what, he’s so present in our house. There’s still the pictures from our wedding and everything, Tom’s still in our house but you know for them it’s constant.
“This morning, I did a little video of her and she said ‘can you text that to Daddy?’ I said ‘Mummy can’t do that, Daddy’s watching you, he can see that you’re singing and dancing but I can’t actually send that video to Daddy this morning’.”
Kelsey also admitted she’s still open with her children about her emotions:
“If I’m having a sad day and I’m crying I’m like, I’m so sad because Dad’s not here now.”
Responding to what she’d like to achieve in her life going forwards, she said:
“There’s so much! You know, it’s living for today, living for now. Tom has taught me that we’re not guaranteed tomorrow so be present, with the children, with whatever you want to do in your career, in your future.
“Take every opportunity and seize it because he didn’t get the ‘tomorrow’ did he. He died at 33 so it’s been a massive, massive learning curve for me as a person.”
Loose Women airs Monday-Friday at 12.30pm on ITV1 and STV
