Vinnie Jones’ wife dies aged 53 surrounded by family at home in Los Angeles after a six-year battle with cancer
- Tanya Jones, 53, passed away at her home in Los Angeles surrounded by family
- Wife of British actor and former footballer Vinnie, she suffered from skin cancer
- Couple both previously fought skin cancer in 2013 and were given the all-clear
By James Wood and Danyal Hussain For Mailonline
Published: 18:43 EDT, 6 July 2019 | Updated: 23:52 EDT, 6 July 2019
The wife of British actor and former professional footballer Vinnie Jones has died following a six-year battle with cancer, his spokesman has revealed.
Tanya Jones passed away aged 53 at her home in Los Angeles yesterday surrounded by her family, after her condition had worsened in recent weeks.
Her husband was at her bedside and news of her death was described as ‘heartbreaking’ by Mr Jones’ spokesman.
The couple married in Watford in 1994 and renewed their vows in 2007.
In 2013, they were both diagnosed with melanoma, the most dangerous skin cancer, and fought it together, getting the all-clear two years later.
Vinnie Jones’ wife was seen out and about with her former footballer husband in 2015 after her latest cancer scare was revealed
Mr Jones’ spokesman told The Sun: ‘Tanya passed peacefully at the Jones family home surrounded by Vinnie, their daughter and other family members.
‘Vinnie and the family ask for privacy while they go through an understandable period of mourning during this devastating time.’
Despite the couple fighting off cancer together, it was revealed last night that Tanya had been ill for quite some time.
At the age of 21, she was forced to undergo an emergency heart transplant and was treated for cervical cancer twice before being diagnosed with melanoma.
It is thought that her cancer may have been a side effect of the drugs she has been taking following a heart transplant 26 years ago.
When the couple were first diagnosed, Mr Jones said: ‘When it comes to things like this, women are stronger.
Tanya Jones (pictured left and right with Vinnie) passed away aged 53 at her home in Los Angeles yesterday surrounded by her family after her condition worsened in recent weeks.
Vinnie Jones and his wife pictured in 2013. Mrs Jones passed away aged 53 at her home in Los Angeles yesterday surrounded by her family
‘Suddenly I’ve gone from the one helping her to the one that needs support.
‘I take my strength from Tanya. She believes her life was saved to save me, and in return I feel it is my role to look after her.’
He added he did not know what he would do without her.
The ex-midfielder, who played for Wimbledon, Chelsea and Leeds United before embarking on a successful acting career, first noticed a lump beneath his right eye in February 2013.
But it was only when he went to the doctor to have it checked out that the lump was a melanoma – a dangerous strain of the skin disease which kills around 2,000 people every year in the UK.
Vinnie and Tanya Jones renew their wedding vows after 13 years of marriage at the ‘Little white Chapel’ in Las Vegas
In 2013, the couple were both diagnosed with melanoma, the most dangerous skin cancer, and fought it together
Vinnie Jones and his wife Tanya during a visit to the Harefield Hospital in north west London in 2002
At the time he vowed to fight the condition with ‘everything I’ve got’.
Speaking to The Sun in 2013, the star said: ‘Cancer is a horrible word to hear. I’ve faced the biggest and ugliest lads on the football field and been in some nasty brawls. But this is my toughest and scariest opponent yet.
‘When the doctor said I had skin cancer, the first thing I though was, ”How long have I got?” ‘
The lump was removed but two more growths were later discovered.
In September 2013, he had a third operation to have a lump removed from the back of his head before being given the all clear last year.
Mr Jones, a recovering alcoholic, blamed his outdoor lifestyle for the cancer – aggravated by his move to Los Angeles with wife Tanya to pursue his film career.
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