Driving Home for Christmas singer Chris Rea has sadly died at the age of 74, but his loved ones have been left suffering “awful pain” at the third sad loss in the family
Chris Rea was third of his siblings to die within just three months.
The singer, famed for hits such as Driving Home for Christmas, has died at the age of 74. He died surrounded by loved ones after a short illness on December 22, just three days before Christmas.
His family have opened up about their “awful pain” and ‘shock’ after the star’s passing this week. Chris’ older sister Camille Whitaker, 79, has revealed that two of Chris’ siblings had also sadly died in the last few months.
She said the youngest of her six siblings, Nicholas, died in a Yorkshire hospital in October from brain cancer at the age of 66. Just days after his funeral, Camille’s twin sister Geraldine Milward died suddenly.
And Chris passed away this week, after the recent birth of a first grandchild. Camille told the Daily Mail: “It is an awful pain. It is gut-wrenching what happened. The family has been quite shocked by it. It is tragic. We can’t sort of get around it.”
Chris was 33 when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2001. He had his pancreas removed that year and later revealed he took 34 pills every day due to his health battles.
The Middlesbrough star, one of seven siblings, had recently became a grandfather to a baby boy. Camille continued: “He lived with his wife and children in Buckinghamshire.
“He always kept very close to his family. He has two daughters and he recently became a grandfather, to a boy, he was very, very pleased. That was wonderful. His eldest, Josephine, inspired one of his songs.
“And Julia, his second daughter, she is the lady who got married and had a baby. Christopher had terrible, terrible health and has been unwell for sometime before he died.”
Camille last spoke to her brother on the phone six days before he died. Describing the singer as “a very shy and quiet man,” Camille said they and the rest of their siblings had a humble upbringing in Middlesbrough.
Chris has admitted he wasn’t “frightened of dying” and that he used his health battles as an inspiration to return to blues music, his musical roots. As well as cancer, Chris was a type 1 diabetic and had issues with his kidney.
In 2016, Chris suffered a stroke. However, he recovered enough to record and tour his 24th album, Road Songs for Lovers.
Chris is survived by his wife Joan Lesley and their two daughters, Josephine and Julia. A statement from them read: “It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris.
“He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family.”
Chris was born to an Italian dad and Irish mother. He worked at his father’s ice cream factory and a café chain in the town.
The singer admitted he didn’t want to release his biggest hit, Driving Home for Christmas, and it was only put out because of his record label. However, he said he was grateful they decided to release it in 1986.
Chris wrote the festive hit when he was on the dole and serving a driving ban. His other hits included The Road to Hell, Fool (If You Think It’s Over), Josephine, and I Can Hear Your Heartbeat.
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