Kelsey Parker has bravely opened up about her painful journey through grief after the tragic stillbirth of her son Phoenix, as well as the devastating loss of her husband, Tom Parker, in 2022. On a recent episode of the Mum’s The Word podcast, Kelsey shared the challenges of grieving for two beloved family members while also being a mother to her two children, Aurelia (6) and Bodhi (4).
🖤 The Struggles of Grieving and Parenting
Kelsey candidly expressed that grieving her stillborn son was “harder” than coping with Tom’s death. The difficulty was amplified by the fact that her children were old enough to understand more about death this time around. She revealed that Aurelia, in particular, struggled deeply with the loss, experiencing intense anger and confusion over Phoenix’s death.
“Aurelia had been angry for such a long period of time… She massively struggled. She was angry until October, November last year.” — Kelsey Parker
💔 The Pain of Explaining Loss to Her Children
Unlike when Tom passed, when Aurelia was younger and less aware of the situation, this time Kelsey had to explain that Phoenix would never come home, a conversation that was much harder to have. She explained the difficulty of answering their tough questions, especially about why people die, with no easy answers.
“I said, ‘Phoenix is with Daddy now.’ And I think that gave them peace… at the time it didn’t give Aurelia any peace whatsoever, but I think it’s given her peace now.” — Kelsey Parker
💪 A Mother’s Grief Never Ends
Kelsey revealed the emotional toll that grief has taken on her while she continues to care for her children. She shared that the pain of losing her son will never truly fade, but she has no choice but to move forward.
“Grief never goes away. You have to sort of get on with it because that pain is never going anywhere. Time is just time, but you’re forever grieving.” — Kelsey Parker
🕊️ Honoring Tom’s Legacy
Kelsey’s grief is compounded each March, marking not only Brain Tumour Awareness Month but also the fourth anniversary of Tom’s death. In a heartfelt Instagram tribute, Kelsey vowed to keep fighting for brain cancer awareness, a cause close to her heart since Tom’s battle with glioblastoma.
“Four years without you, Tom… and yet the fight still continues. Brain cancer remains the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, yet it receives just 1% of national cancer funding. That has to change!” — Kelsey Parker
Kelsey’s open dialogue about her grief continues to inspire many as she uses her platform to share her journey, raise awareness, and honor her family’s resilience.
