Kelsey Parker has admitted she is ‘not ok’ and is trying to ‘find herself again’, five months after the tragic loss of her third child.
The TV star, whose husband Tom Parker died of glioblastoma in March 2022, aged 33, suffered further heartbreak in June when her unborn baby – her first with boyfriend Will Lindsay – was stillborn.
Kelsey, who is a mother to Aurelia, five, and Bodhi, four, shared her feelings with fans on Instagram on Wednesday, admitting she just needs ‘space to breathe’ and that she feels as though she sometimes has the weight of the ‘whole world’ on her shoulders.
In a video, she said: ‘Hi everyone, how are you all? I feel like I’ve been a little bit quiet, but you know what, that’s ok. It’s ok to not be ok all the time.
She continued: ‘We live in this world where everyone’s just trying to look like they’ve all got it figured out.
‘Strength means smiling for everything, sometimes strength means being still – it means saying, I just need quiet for a little bit.
Kelsey Parker has admitted she is ‘not ok’ and is trying to ‘find herself again’, five months after the tragic loss of her third child
The baby, whom she named Phoenix, was her first child with boyfriend Will Lindsay. Kelsey’s husband, Tom Parker, died in March 2022 from glioblastoma – they share children Aurelia, five, and Bodhi, four
‘Sometimes I just need calm, I just need space to breathe, to let my thoughts settle, to find myself again because life doesn’t stop and for me, it never really has.
‘I’ve literally had the children and raised them, and I’ve had to show up every single day – sometimes I struggle.
‘Sometimes I literally feel like I’m holding the whole world with my bare hands, but it’s the only thing I’ve ever known how to do.
‘It’s pushing forward, it’s keeping on going even when it’s hard, even when I am tired, because my babies are watching me, they’re learning from me, they are my reason, my peace and my power.
‘I’m not ok, but I don’t have to be. None of us do.’
She added: ‘What matters is that I keep moving, keep loving, keep believing that better days are coming. And they are, they’ve got to be.’
Kelsey also spoke directly to fans who may be struggling, saying: ‘So if you’re watching this and you’re struggling too, it’s ok.
‘Take your quiet, take your breath. Then, when you’re ready, push forward because you’ve got this.’
Uploading a video to Instagram on Wednesday, Kelsey shared her feelings with fans, admitting she just needs ‘space to breathe’ and that she feels as though she sometimes has the weight of the ‘whole world’ on her shoulders
She said: ‘Hi everyone, how are you all? I feel like I’ve been a little bit quiet, but you know what, that’s ok. It’s ok to not be ok all the time’
She added: ‘Sometimes I just need calm, I just need space to breathe, to let my thoughts settle, to find myself again because life doesn’t stop and for me, it never really has’
Alongside the video, Kelsey captioned the post: ‘We all hit that point where we just need quiet… to breathe, to reset, to find ourselves again. If that’s you… you’re not alone’
Alongside the video, Kelsey captioned the post: ‘We all hit that point where we just need quiet… to breathe, to reset, to find ourselves again. If that’s you… you’re not alone. (love heart emoji)’
In June, Kelsey took to Instagram to share her heartbreaking news about her third child, who died one week before his planned due date.
Breaking the news in a poem, she wrote: ‘The world grew quiet as you arrived, So loved, so longed for, yet not alive. Our precious boy, our angel light, Born with wings, took silent flight
‘We named you Phoenix, brave and bright. A soul of love, of warmth and light Though we never heard you cry, You’ll live in hearts that won’t ask why.
‘No breath you drew, no eyes to see, Still, you mean everything to me. You’ll journey with us, softly near, in every sigh, in every tear.
Taking to her Instagram stories: she added: ‘Before I receive an influx of lovely messages and heartfelt wishes, I wanted to just say that I truly appreciate everything you are all going to say and share.
‘But with the news being so raw, I would really like to ensure that we as a family are given space and time to process this devastating and earth-shattering news.
‘I love you all and thank you for your understanding and space. Love always, Kelsey, Will, and the Parker Family.’
In June, Kelsey took to Instagram to tell her followers that her baby Phoenix had died
Kelsey pictured with Tom who lost his battle with cancer
Kelsey was left devastated after her husband Tom lost his battle with brain cancer, but found love again last year, meeting Kent tree surgeon Will on a night out and announcing their romance in September.
The podcaster later admitted to being targeted by online trolls for moving on with her new partner.
Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine, in their first joint interview together in March, she explained: ‘It’s been three years, this is Tom’s three-year anniversary of his death, and it’s almost like people want me to feel guilty for moving on.’
She added: ‘I’m always going to have guilt, but what’s so hard is that Tom’s not here anymore, so what do people want me to do?’,
‘Our house was full of so much sadness, but now it’s full of happiness. The kids deserve that more than anything.
‘They’ve been through so much, I feel like we are taking the steps forward to heal, but I just want other women to feel like it’s OK to move on, it’s not taking anything away from the love I had for Tom.’
If you have been affected by anything in this article, please contact The Lullaby Trust on 0808 8026868.
