Tom Parker’s wife raises thousands in fundraiser to keep The Wanted star’s ‘memory alive forever’

More than £15,000 has been donated to a fundraiser set up by Kelsey Parker, widow of The Wanted star Tom Parker.

Mrs Parker started the GoFundMe page on Saturday to “keep Tom’s memory alive forever”, saying that proceeds would go to “amazing causes in Tom’s name, to help others in need”.

Parker was diagnosed with a brain tumour in October 2022, and he died surrounded by family and friends on 30 March this year, aged 33.

Read more: ‘True courage’ – the pop star who used his final months to help others

Mrs Parker said: “We simply couldn’t have got through the last two years without the help and support we have received, and if we can offer it back to others, that would be the best way to honour Tom, and make our two children – Aurelia and Bodhi – proud.”

She said: “Our hearts are truly broken.

“Tom was the centre of our world and we can’t imagine life without him.

“But one of the biggest sources of comfort over the last two years has been the outpouring of love and support we’ve all received.

“We can’t thank everyone enough for holding Tom, myself, and the children in your thoughts and prayers, for lighting candles and sharing beautiful messages of hope and condolence.

“We want to take everyone’s incredible love, support and generosity and turn our grief into something positive and to keep Tom’s memory alive forever.”

She added: “If love alone could have saved Tom, he would have lived forever.”

Tom and Kelsey married in 2018, welcoming their daughter Aurelia in 2019 and their son Bodhi in October last year.

On Saturday, bandmate Max George described Parker as a “lion”, praising his “courage and dignity”.

He wrote: “Tom, my brother, my boy, my band mate, my best bud.. You lit up so many lives all over the world but I can only speak on behalf of mine.

“From the minute I met you, I knew this was gonna be a special chapter in my life. I was right.”