Gemma Collins has thanked her friends and fans for “holding me up with kindness” following her mother’s death.
On Thursday, The Only Way Is Essex star, 45, announced the death of her mother Joan, who had been suffering from pneumonia. A few days later, she shared a post thanking people for their support.
“Grief is the price we pay for love,” she captioned the post, in which she shared an image of a small shrine she had made, featuring a photograph of her with her mother, as well as flowers, candles and a statue of the Virgin Mary.
‘Thank you from the bottom of my heart’
She continued: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every message, every prayer, every kind word. I’m reading them all and getting back to everyone slowly. Please bear with me. Some moments I feel okay, and then it comes in waves.”
Collins then shared how “one beautiful thing keeps happening”: “A butterfly has been with me constantly, appearing wherever I go. It brings me a sense of peace, and in my heart I truly feel it’s my mum letting me know she’s close, watching over me, and reminding me that love never really leaves us,” she said.
Concluding the post, she said: “Thank you all for holding me up with your kindness. It means more than you’ll ever know. She loved @paulmccartney and the @thebeatles I’m finding lots of healing listening to the music.”
Commenting on the post, Collins’ Towie co-star Jess Wright wrote: “Love you.” Her mother Carol Wright added: “Thinking of you, your mum will be with you all the time. Never forget the love you had between you and your mummy.”
‘Shattered into a million pieces’
When announcing her mother’s death, Collins said her heart was “shattered into a million pieces”. Sharing a black and white photo of Joan smiling for the camera, she wrote on Instagram: “Today our beautiful mum passed away peacefully surrounded by LOVE. Mum, Today, every piece of my heart left with you.
“No words will ever be enough to thank you for loving me, guiding me, and being my mum. You gave me life, you gave me strength, and you gave me memories that I will carry for every day I have left.
“The house will never sound the same without you. Your voice, your smile, your little ways, they are woven into every corner of my life. I will miss you more than I could ever put into words.”
She added: “I hope you are finally free from pain. I hope you can walk again, laugh again, and feel light. I hope you are surrounded by peace and by everyone who has gone before you, watching over us with love.
“Thank you for every hug, every sacrifice, every lesson, and every moment. Thank you for being my mum. It has been the greatest privilege to be your daughter.”
Joan made several appearances on The Only Way Is Essex over the years. Last month, she was taken to hospital after coming down with pneumonia for the second time in the space of six months.
Collins rose to fame on Towie between 2011 and 2015, later appearing on other reality shows including I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
