Kelsey Parker, the widow of The Wanted singer Tom Parker, has opened up about her plans to expand her family following a devastating stillbirth and the loss of her husband. In an exclusive interview, she revealed her determination to look forward despite enduring a heartbreaking few years.
A Year After Stillbirth
Kelsey, 36, lost her son Phoenix, who was stillborn at 39 weeks last June. The baby was conceived with her partner Will Lindsay. The tragedy compounded the grief she has carried since Tom died of an inoperable brain tumour in March 2022 at the age of 33. Ahead of the anniversary of Phoenix's death, Kelsey spoke about finding strength for her family.
“I’m doing better,” she said. “All you can do is look forward. Last year was really tough, but I’m still here, I’m still living. I still have two healthy children, so I think you can only move forward and look forward.”
Coping with Grief
Kelsey revealed that she and Will have grieved differently, which has been challenging. “It’s been a real struggle, we’ve both grieved in completely different ways, and that has been really tough,” she explained. She noted that mothers often have a stronger physical connection to the baby, making it harder for fathers to express their grief.
Despite the pain, Kelsey is determined to channel her energy into positive actions. She is fundraising for the Lily Mae Foundation, a baby loss charity, through a football match held annually in Tom's memory. The event will take place on May 17 at Bromley FC in Kent, featuring celebrities such as Jake Quickenden, Leanne Quigley, and Kieran McCartney.
Keeping Tom's Memory Alive
Kelsey ensures that her children, Aurelia (6) and Bodhi (5), remember their father through happy conversations. She also speaks openly about Tom with Will. Reflecting on the passage of time, she said: “People say time is a healer, but does time heal? I don’t necessarily know if it does. I think you learn to grow around your grief. I still feel exactly the same now.”
Kelsey considers herself “a mum of three” and has expressed a desire to have more children with Will. “We would love to have more. The children wanted Phoenix so badly, and it was going to be the light at the end of our tunnel… but it’s not actually happened that way for us. I do think the children would definitely want a sibling,” she shared.
Dealing with Trolls
Despite receiving support, Kelsey has faced cruel online abuse, including someone calling her baby loss “karma.” She addressed the trolls directly: “You have to be accountable for what you say to people because anything you type and you put out, that’s gone out to the universe.” She emphasised that she does not seek pity and is simply living her life as best she can.
“I don’t need people’s pity and sadness. This is my life, and I’ve been thrown these cards, and I’ve got to deal with it,” she said. Kelsey credits Tom for giving her a voice and the opportunity to do motivational speaking and her podcast, Mum’s the Word.
The Tom Parker Charity Football Match will take place on Sunday, May 17. Tickets and further information are available online.
