Sky Sports presenter Simon Thomas has revealed the ‘beautiful’ question his eight-year-old son asked when he saw the wedding rings worn by his late mother.
The presenter, 44, was hit by tragedy last month when his wife Gemma died just three days after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia – an aggressive cancer that affects white blood cells.
The couple’s only child, Ethan, was shown his late mother’s wedding rings yesterday after they were returned to his father.
Simon Thomas shared a photo of his wife’s wedding rings on Instagram and posted his eight-year-old son Ethan’s touching response
The boy won hearts with his touching response, with more than two thousand likes since his dad Simon uploaded the picture to his Instagram account.
The former Blue Peter presenter wrote: ‘Her wedding rings are back with me. I showed them to Ethan this morning and he said – ‘Daddy, when I get married, can I give them to my wife?
‘His heart is beyond measure #lightinthedarkness’.
Ethan Thomas, eight, asked his father if he could give his mother’s weddings rings to his future wife
The heartbreaking post was met with an outpouring of supportive replies from well wishers.
Rose Harding wrote: ‘For a boy so young, amazing for him to think like that for the future. His mum will be looking down so proud and whoever gets this ring in the future what a special moment.’
Jenny Potter said: ‘Sending you all our prayers to your beautiful son and to yourself. I know that your life has taken a very tragic turn and I am devastated for the loss of your beautiful wife and Ethan’s mum.’
Ethan’s heartwarming words earned wide support on social media with users describing him as ‘beautiful’ and ‘amazing’
Mr Thomas, 44, later shared another picture on Instagram showing his son’s tragic Christmas wishlist
In another heartbreaking Instagram post later today, Mr Thomas shared Ethan’s Christmas wishlist.
The eight-year-old wrote Playmobil and Lego ending the list by asking for his ‘mummy back’.
The tear-jerking post, which got more than 500 likes in less than an hour, led to another outpouring of support for the tragic family with users branding the photo ‘heartbreaking’.
Gemma Thomas, 40, died of an aggressive cancer called acute myeloid leukaemia, three days after first being diagnosed
Ethan asked for Playmobil, Lego and his ‘mummy back’ after father Simon revealed the family’s heartbreak after the death of Gemma
Mrs Thomas, 40, started feeling unwell and went to the doctor three times before later going to hospital.
Mr Thomas said his wife’s condition deteriorated rapidly within hours and she was taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.
After tests, she was transferred to the Churchill Hospital in Oxford and began chemotherapy.
But tragically, she died just three days later of the aggressive acute myloid leaukaemia.
After his wife’s tragic death, Mr Thomas took to Twitter to describe his ‘indescribable pain’ and asked for people to pray for his son
Norfolk-born Simon Thomas joined Blue Peter in 1999, replacing Richard Bacon, and worked alongside the likes of Konnie Huq, Matt Baker and Zoe Salmon during his six years on the BBC children’s show.
He left for Sky Sports in 2005 and has worked on a number of projects, most recently presenting live Premier League coverage for the channel.
After his wife’s death, Mr Thomas took to Twitter to share his grief.
He wrote in an emotional post: ‘Today I am crushed with indescribable pain. Just three days after falling ill with Acute Myloid Leukaemia, my dear wife Gemma passed away yesterday evening surrounded by her family and friends.
‘If you are a prayer – pray for my boy Ethan. 8yrs, precious and in bits. Thank you.’
Mrs Thomas’ condition deteriorated rapidly within hours of her diagnosis and she died just three days after the illness was discovered