LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Nothing can be more heartbreaking than a father needing to tell his toddlers that this might be their last Father’s Day with him. Ever since Jonnie Irwin, 49, was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he has shown resilience, dedicating himself to spending every second of his life creating happy memories with his wife Jess, 40, and three sons — Rex, Cormac, and Rafa. While he has shown strength in every imaginable aspect of life, he was unsuccessful in one instance, which was to bring himself to share his terminal illness diagnosis with his three children.
The ‘A Place In The Sun’ host opened up about his worsening health and the challenges he has been facing in telling his eldest son about the illness, in an interview with Hello! Magazine. While cancer can make him weak, it cannot decrease his life force which helps him to enjoy his last days with his family. Intending to make the most of his time with the children, Irwin, who was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in 2020 that has spread to his brain, has already started preparing his eldest son to face the world. He posted a picture with his children on Instagram, captioning it, "Father’s Day means even more to me this year," ahead of the holiday.
‘I don't want them to struggle’
The Channel 4 presenter said, "I encourage the kids, I'm positive about them and give them cuddles. I've started to tell Rex in private conversations, 'You can do anything',” in the interview about motivating his son, Rex. He couldn’t help but praise his kindergartener saying, “He's bright, he's talented, and comes home from nursery knowing more French than I do.” The TV star, who earlier revealed that he is slowly losing his memory, recalled his childhood during the interview, which according to him was not very smooth. Irwin said, "I had a tough upbringing," elaborating, “And I've managed to do a lot in my life, despite that, but I don't want them to struggle. I want them to have the confidence of a public school boy, but also be streetwise lads. They're happy kids, they laugh, and are a lot of fun to have around."
'Let's bury our heads in the sand for as long as possible'
While Irwin has been preparing Rex for the future, the parents have not yet managed to tell their sons about his illness. The ‘Escape to the Country’ host stated, "I keep being asked, 'Are you going to tell them?'." He sounded frustrated while questioning, "But tell them what?" And suggested, "It would be horrible news that they'd have to get their heads around. And it would confuse the hell out of Rex – he's got a shocking enough day coming. Let's bury our heads in the sand for as long as possible." It appears that Irwin has decided to take a more relaxed approach to life as he shared, "I'm not sweating the small stuff anymore," and added, "It's much better to be chilled about the little things. That's the journey I've been on, and continue to be on."
'I'm acutely aware that everything I do has to be a good example'
Irwin’s wife, Jess, added to the conversation by sharing snippets of their idyllic life. She said, "All the boys gravitate to him when they want to show off and get his attention. They're aware that Jonnie needs his rest and can't always jump up and play football for hours, but they're more than happy snuggled up on the sofa, watching a movie. Story time is a big thing at bedtime and that is something I know Jonnie treasures with them."
Moreover, Irwin has realized that he needs to be a role model for his sons, stating, "I'm acutely aware that everything I do has to be a good example. Jess is soft, so they'll have a softer upbringing than if I was around, probably." "But I'm confident that they'll have a good upbringing," he added with hope.
