Rio Ferdinand has paid a touching tribute to his three children for being “resilient” following their mother’s death.
The former footballer admitted he never thought Lorenz, 13, Tate, 11, and Tia, eight, would be happy again after their mum and his late wife Rebecca Ellison tragically passed away from breast cancer in 2015.
On Wednesday, Rio, 40, shared a photo of his three kids on a beach on holiday alongside a heartfelt message.
Read more: Kate Wright looks fresh faced as she holidays with fiancé Rio Ferdinand
He said: “Maaaaaan, did I ever think I’d see these 3 as happy and as full of life again…. probably not at certain times.
“A lot has been thrown in their young paths but the resilience & character they have shown has been amazing.
“Living under 1 roof with 4 people that inspire me daily is a blessing.”
Fans were left emotional over Rio’s post and praised him for being an “inspirational” father.
One person commented: “The way you have fathered them has been inspirational.”
Another wrote: “Respect Rio you have done a brilliant job,” while a third added: “It’s all down to you Rio. Simple as that. You’re a fantastic role model.”
View this post on InstagramShe said yes 💍 ❤️ How these 3 kids kept it a secret I’ll never know 🤷🏽♂️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Rio is now engaged to former TOWIE star Kate Wright.
The star proposed to Kate during a family holiday to Abu Dhabi in November last year, popping the question on one knee on top of the iconic Nation Towers complex.
Kate stepped away from her celebrity lifestyle when she met Rio, becoming stepmother to his three children.
Speaking about her decision to leave the limelight and take on a family, Kate said on This Morning last year: “Everyone thinks I’m crazy, even my mum was like, ‘You’re mad!’ But I had two choices. I was in this world of drama and in the public eye.
“Then I met Rio, he had children who lost their mum, they didn’t have a woman in their lives. Someone needs to be at home and give them love.”
View this post on InstagramMy happy place 🥰 treatment in my hair, no make up chilling with my love x
Read more: Rio Ferdinand shares photos of his stag weekend in Barcelona
Meanwhile, during an interview with Daily Mail’s You Magazine last year, Kate stressed she would never try to replace the children’s late mother, Rebecca, and spoke about how they honour Rebecca’s memory.
“Their mum is irreplaceable; we celebrate her birthday, we go to the cemetery together,” she said.
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