Rio opens up his defences to help cope with grief
RIO Ferdinand’s world shattered in May 2015 when his wife Rebecca Ellison died from breast cancer, aged just 34. The former Manchester United and England football star, 38, was left a single dad to Lorenz, now 10, Tate, eight, and Tia, five.
In this hugely emotional documentary, Rio talks openly about his struggles with grief and coping as a widowed dad.
Exploring life for bereaved parents, he also meets other young fathers to share experiences. Around 75 men aged under 50 become widowers every day in the UK, and men often face a stigma about discussing their emotions.
“I don’t think I’ve grieved properly,” Rio says in the film, eventually breaking down in front of the cameras.
Rio admits that while he never considered suicide himself, there were times at the beginning when he could understand why people did it. But it’s his three children who have kept him going, and what really packs a punch here is Rio’s sheer determination and devotion to being the best possible dad.
Rebecca, who died within 10 weeks of being told her cancer had returned (she was treated for cancer in 2013), told her mum before she died: “Rio will be a perfect mummy and daddy.”
There are heartbreaking scenes as Rio tells how his daughter asks “Why haven’t I got a mummy?” and confesses he needs help. But we journey with Rio through a clearly cathartic experience in making this documentary, and by the end he seems ready to face his grief.
Golfer Darren Clarke, whose wife Heather died of cancer in 2006, tells Rio: “The best thing you can do for your kids is let them see you smile now and again.”