Kelsey Parker Opens Up About Heartbreak and Healing Following Stillbirth

Published: 28 August 2025 | The English Chronicle Desk

Kelsey Parker, the grieving podcast host and widow of The Wanted star Tom Parker, has shared an emotional update on her journey through loss and healing, revealing the challenges she continues to face following the tragic stillbirth of her third child.

In January, Kelsey, who is also mother to Aurelia, five, and Bodhi, four, announced that she was expecting her third child with her new partner, Will Lindsay. The couple’s joy was tragically cut short in June when she revealed that her son, whom they had named Phoenix, was “born sleeping.” Through social media and a heartfelt poem, Kelsey paid tribute to her baby, writing: “For Phoenix, Born Sleeping, Forever Loved. Phoenix Parker-Lindsay, you will forever be loved.”

This week, the Loose Women contributor offered a candid glimpse into her struggles during a night out with close friend James “Arg” Argent. In an Instagram Story shared with her followers, she described a mixture of enjoyment and discomfort as she tried to navigate social settings while grappling with grief. “Instagram vs Reality. I had a fantastic night out with my good friend Arg. We had a lovely meal at Sheesh, but looking around at all the beautiful young girls with bodies to die for, I felt so uncomfortable and unconfident—feelings I’ve never really experienced before. We enjoyed dinner and watched Arg perform, but deep down I couldn’t wait to leave,” she wrote.

Kelsey reflected on the pressures of presenting a composed exterior on social media, explaining, “Just because someone is smiling and laughing on social media, you never truly know how they’re feeling inside, or the pain and struggles it’s taken just to put one foot in front of the other.”

Her journey through grief has been profoundly shaped by her spirituality, which she says has offered her guidance and comfort in the wake of multiple personal tragedies. The devastating loss of her husband Tom in 2022, after his diagnosis with an inoperable brain tumour, left Kelsey searching for strength while caring for their young children. “My spirituality helps so much, because if I didn’t have this, I don’t know how I would get through a day. I feel Phoenix, and I look for the signs, and I feel like he’s with me and the kids all the time,” she shared.

Despite her grief, Kelsey has remained committed to her role as a mother. “Even with Phoenix, I had to get up the next day and be a mum. My kids are my saving grace—they get me out of bed in the morning. They’ve been through so much; they’re four and six and they’ve lived such a life already. That life has to continue for them,” she explained.

The Mum’s the Word podcast host, co-hosted with her friend Georgia Jones, has also been a source of reflection and dialogue for Kelsey. She credits the discovery of her spiritual practice during Tom’s illness with helping her make sense of profound loss and find peace in the midst of suffering. “When Tom was still here, I had to find something, because I was like, ‘this is so cruel.’ I was 35 weeks pregnant with Bodhi and had Aurelia who was only 15 months, and I thought, how can life be this cruel to us?” she recalled.

Kelsey describes spirituality as offering clarity and comfort: “We had the perfect life, and it obviously got flipped upside down. By finding spirituality, you understand why they’ve gone, and it gives you that bit of peace. When Tom died, I could feel his soul leave him, but his energy is still here. Science tells us energy can’t be destroyed—it can only be transferred. There’s more to life than just living and dying.”

Through her candid reflections, Kelsey Parker has provided a powerful insight into the process of grieving, the struggle to maintain normalcy in the face of loss, and the healing potential of faith, family, and self-discovery. Her openness serves as both a testament to resilience and a reminder that even amid tragedy, personal strength and connection can offer solace and guidance.