Rio Ferdinand has given parents some brutally honest advice after he and his children spent years recovering from the grief of losing his wife to cancer.
The former footballer, 45, welcomed three children, Lorenz, 17, Tate, 14, and Tia, 12, with his late wife Rebecca Ellison – who died of breast cancer in 2015 aged 34.
After taking on the role of mother and father, he has now reflected on his hardships and told The Spiegel that parents should avoid hiding their vulnerabilities from their children.
Rio said he believes showing children that their parents are not “unbreakable” will help them with their mental health in the long run.
He is now married to former TOWIE star Kate Ferdinand, 32, and they share Cree, two, and daughter Shea, 10 months.
Rio Ferdinand has given parents some brutally honest advice after he and his children spent years recovering from the heartbreak of losing their wife to cancer.
The former footballer, 45, welcomed three children, Lorenz, 17, Tate, 14, and Tia, 12, with his late wife Rebecca Ellison (pictured in 2009) – who died of breast cancer in 2015 aged 34.
The father-of-five told the publication: “Parents sometimes seem unbreakable.
‘Fathers can come across as a bit macho and mothers as bionic women, juggling everything.
‘But if I had to give parents one piece of advice it would be that showing vulnerability in front of children can really help them with their mental health.’
When Rio lost Rebecca, they had been together for fifteen years and happily married for nine.
In his book Thinking Out Loud: Love, Grief and Being Mum and Dad, he talked about the depression and suicidal thoughts he had after losing his wife.
He admitted he turned to whiskey and brandy to cope with the shock and grief.
Rio revealed that growing up on a tough council estate in Peckham, South East London, emotions and mental health were not discussed regularly.
The football legend revealed that when he was sad as a child, he was told to ‘cheer up’.
After taking on the role of mother and father, he has now reflected on his hardships and told the Mirror that parents should avoid hiding their vulnerabilities from their children.
He said he believes showing children that their parents are not ‘unbreakable’ will help them with their mental health in the long run (pictured with his youngest son Cree)
He is now married to TOWIE’s Kate Ferdinand (pictured), 32, and they share Cree, two, and daughter Shea, 10 months
The former TOWIE star married the footballer in 2019 and became a stepparent to their now blended family
Previously, Rio’s second wife Kate broke down and revealed in February 2024 the last act of selflessness that her husband Rio’s late wife Rebecca did for their family before she died.
She revealed that Rebecca managed to attend daughter Tia’s fourth birthday party a month before her tragic death.
Kate said about this on her Blended podcast with author Emily Dean: ‘This is so emotional. It makes me cry because Tia’s mother (had) done that for her too.
“I don’t know if I’ve talked about this, but it was her mission to get to her birthday party.
“It’s very similar and they were so sick but had the strength to go to their children’s birthday party. It warms my heart, but it is also sad.’
She continued: “I’ve put myself in a position as a mother to think about everyone who is a parent and is going to pass away and what’s going through their minds and in those last moments they’re still thinking about their children and what’s happening to them is going on. the best for their children.
“That makes me emotional because it’s amazing that you can be so selfless and still put yourself at the bottom of the pile.”
