Kind Tom Parker secretly supported woman who died from brain tumour just weeks before his own death
KIND Tom Parker secretly supported a woman who passed away from a brain tumour just weeks before his own death.
The Wanted star became close friends with Amani Liaquat after discovering they shared the same terminal diagnosis.
Tom, who was 33 when he passed away this week from an inoperable brain tumour, helped Amani, 23, through her own battle with cancer.
Amani’s grieving parents opened up to The Mirror about how the kind-hearted star sent texts and voice messages throughout their friendship.
Tom worked hard to keep his friend’s spirits lifted before she passed away on February 21, just weeks before Tom’s tragic death.
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Messages between the pals read: “I don’t understand, why do you think you’re dying? You’re not dying. We are young. We are fit enough.”
Others saw Tom encouraging Amani, writing to her: “I know it’s scary but you’re going to be fine… you’ve got this!”
Father-of-two Tom passed away last Wednesday a number of days after first class honours graduate Amani, leaving her parents heartbroken.
Her father Khuram Liaquat and mum Yasmin Stannard, who also share daughter Maleehah, 16, felt like they had lost ‘another member of the family’ when news broke of Tom’s death.
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Khuram, 49, told The Mirror: “Their journey, the stories of seizures and so on were almost identical so they clicked straight away.
“To have him keep in touch, to have almost this lifeline from Tom, gave Amani some hope and excitement.
“Tom was one of the few people battling the same disease she met in person. Their exchanges turned into almost a little conversation piece.
“She could say, ‘Oh, me and Tom are friends’. It gave her so much joy.”
Yasmin, 49, added: “She texted Tom a day before brain surgery. His voice note said: ‘I’d be s***ting it! But you’ll be fine. I’m sure of it’.
“He also texted: ‘Think of it like this, you could be in a position where they couldn’t do anything. You’ve got this!’ That really helped her.”
In September, Amani went to see Tom perform alongside The Wanted at their gig at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Tom paid tribute to his friend on the day she passed away, taking to Instagram to gush over Amani as a “bright, smart, funny young lady”.
Yasmin added: “The day after Amani passed away, Tom messaged me to say he and Kelsey were sending love. He was really good at reassuring us. Just keep going, keep fighting.”
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Amani was diagnosed with grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme – an aggressive and fast-growing brain cancer – on her 22nd birthday.
While Tom received the same diagnosis in 2020 – and lived for 18 months before passing away from the disease.