It’s been 15 years since the death of Big Brother legend Jade Goody on Mother’s Day in 2009.
The loveable mum-of-two shot to fame in the 2000s thanks to her stint on reality shows. In her all-too-short years, Jade achieved so much – becoming one of the UK’s biggest TV personalities.
In 2009, Jade died following a battle with cancer. She was aged just 27 and left behind two young boys, Bobby and Freddie, who were just five and four at the time, and her husband Jack Tweed.
Jack Tweed on new relationship
15 years on from Jade’s death, her widower Jack has shared his plans to remarry. Speaking to the Mirror, Jack opened up about his romance with partner Ellie Sargeant. He said: “This is love again. I never thought I would find it. But 15 years on from Jade passing away, I feel like I’ve found love once more. I’ve taken my time – I couldn’t rush.
“I will always love Jade. That will never change. She was my first love. We shared so many happy memories and heartbreaking ones as well – especially towards the last few months. But I know she’d want me to be happy, she told me that. I finally feel able to move on. It was about finding the right time.”
He added: “Marriage is absolutely something I’m thinking about. It just hadn’t felt right since Jade died. It was such a public marriage and had so much heartbreak. Time has healed a lot.”
Jade Goody death
Jade became a household name in the early 2000s. She appeared on the Indian version of the reality TV series, Bigg Boss in 2008. However, while on the show she was told she had cervical cancer.
Jade straight away flew back to the UK where she was told it was at an advanced stage. She then underwent surgery and chemotherapy.
She was young and her health probably wasn’t a priority
The reality star had missed having regular smear tests that could have picked up her cancer earlier and led to life-saving treatment. Sadly by the time she was diagnosed, the cancer had spread and efforts to save her failed.
Speaking of why Jade wasn’t on top of her health checks, her ex Jeff Brazier told the Daily Express: “We were no longer together when she got ill so I don’t know whether it was forgetfulness or fear that prevented her from getting help sooner. She was young and her health probably wasn’t a priority. But as I’ve since learned, it needs to be top of everyone’s list.”
Jade Goody ‘screamed and cried’ after cancer news
Despite undergoing a hysterectomy and a year of intense chemotherapy, Jade was given a 50% chance of survival. Speaking to the Mirror at the time, she said: “I’m realistic. I know I might not have that long left.”
I couldn’t breathe when they told me
And on Valentine’s Day in 2009, doctors told the Big Brother icon that cancer had spread to her liver, groin and bowel and was now terminal. “I couldn’t breathe when they told me. I just screamed and cried and said, ‘can’t anyone do anything to help me’,” she revealed at the time.
Big Brother star Jade Goody married Jack Tweed
Jade was determined to keep living life to the fullest. So on February 22, 2009, she married Jack in Essex. Reported guests included Paul O’Grady, Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan.
Now I’m ready to go to heaven.
And despite her health failing, Jade left her family and friends amazed when she was able to dance. Her grandfather John Craddock told the Daily Mirror: “You should have seen her dancing with all those dolly birds. She was jumping up and down dancing like a jive bunny. It was brilliant. She had a wild time.”
Meanwhile Jade also gushed over the special day. She told OK! Magazine at the time: “I’ve had the happiest day of my life. Now I’m ready to go to heaven.”
Jade Goody sons
In her final days, Jade drifted in and out of consciousness – however, her devotion to her two boys was still strong. 48 hours before she passed away Jade heard Bobby, then five, crying in his sleep. Amazingly, Jade managed to haul herself out of bed to go to her son. She bravely put Bobby on her back and climbed the stairs with him.
She was able to do it because those kids meant everything to her.
Close friend Kevin Adams told The Sun: “The next day I told the doctor what had happened and she said, ‘no Jade doesn’t have the strength to do that because everything in her body is failing.’
“I told her that I saw it with my own eyes. She was able to do it because those kids meant everything to her. That memory will live with me forever, it is so special to me.”
Sadly, a month after getting married, Jade died on Mother’s Day 2009 at her Essex home. She was surrounded by husband Jack, kids Bobby and Freddie and her mum Jackiey Budden.
10 years later, Jackiey opened up on her last moments with Jade revealing it was awful watching her daughter take her final breaths She said: “Jade was disintegrating and we were watching her disintegrate. I miss her to the max but I was so pleased she was out of pain. She’d had all the drugs she could have.”
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