Dame Esther Rantzen has spoken about her dream of being reunited with her late husband, Desmond Wilcox, in the afterlife as she celebrates her 86th birthday. The broadcaster, diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in 2023, revealed earlier this year that her medication, which had been keeping the illness at bay, had stopped working.
Hope for an Afterlife Reunion
In an interview with The Times this spring, Rantzen addressed her passing, saying: "If there is a heaven, it would be a very happy place. It's a lovely idea to meet Desmond again and all those I have loved and lost - my parents and grandparents, my close friends and family." Rantzen was married to Desmond for more than two decades before he died of a heart attack in 2000 at age 69. The couple had three children together.
Daughter Shares Gratitude for Extra Time
Rantzen's daughter, Rebecca Wilcox, 46, spoke to Vanessa Feltz about her mother's birthday. "It's her birthday coming up. She's going to be 86, which is brilliant. She's as astonished as anybody that she's still here," Wilcox said. "We are so grateful. She was diagnosed three years ago with terminal stage four lung and breast cancer, so every day is a wonderful miracle, and we really are cherishing it. We are just so grateful to have her here."
Passion for Gardening Continues
Wilcox also highlighted her mother's enduring love for gardening. "Her garden is her passion," she explained. "It is gorgeous. She's an early adopter of rewilding. Monty Don has nothing on her. They built this garden from nothing. It was a dilapidated farm. I got married there."
