Simon Thomas shares inspirational plans for the future following his wife's death
His wife died last November
TV presenter Simon Thomas lost his wife Gemma last year to Acute Myloid Leukaemia, and many have been following his heartbreak in the months since on social media.
Earlier today Simon took to social media to post a message asking for 'ideas and adventures to plan with Ethan' his son. He went on to say he wanted to 'give him lots of new memories after Mum going'.
He finished the tweet saying, 'I’m thinking of getting a camper van so we can go off together and see different places. What camper vans would people recommend? Thanks. #campervan'.
Hundreds of users have responded to the former Blue Peter presenter suggesting ideas. One user said explained how he would go on holiday with his dad and collect key rings. 'I’d go with him during the holidays and he would take me to a football ground and buy me a key ring so I could say that I’d been to that ground, loved every second of it and great memories' he tweeted.
Another person suggested, 'Take him geocaching while out in the camper van'.
Whilst others suggested visiting everywhere from Scotland to Cornwall.
Earlier today, Simon also took to Instagram to post a photo of a handwritten note which read, 'Do more of what makes you AWESOME'. It continued, 'My boy you are awesome & so very brave. It's a new week. Let's kick some more BUTT! Love you Daddy xxx'.
This latest post was greeted with many more supporting messages such as, 'You really are a wonderful father to Ethan x' and 'Aww l love these wee note so beautiful and very empowering xx you are doing amazing xx one day at a time xx you got this xx 😘😘 sending much love and blessings xx have an amazing wee day xx 😇'.
Last week Simon brought Holly Willoughby to tears as he recounted the moment he told his young son of his wife's death. Speaking to Holly and Phillip on This Morning, Simon revealed his eight-year-old broke down and fell on the floor when he told him the awful news about his mum.
He said, "I think I woke up everyone as I screamed. I screamed to God saying, 'Why have you left my son without my mum?' I could remember his reaction to losing a toy and I'm like I've got to go home and tell him his mum's gone.
"He went into see her twice that day. I held him to her ear a couple of times, he said he loved her. I got home and grabbed him and looked deep into his brown eyes and said, 'They couldn't make mummy better'".
Simon continued, adding he told Ethan, "You can't dress it up. I said, 'Mummy's died'".
This was the first time Simon had opened up on TV about the death of his wife. When she sadly died back in November 2017 Simon tweeted at the time saying he was 'crushed with indescribable pain'.
The tweet continued, 'Just three days after falling ill with Acute Myloid Leukaemia, my dear wife Gemma passed away yesterday evening surrounded by her family and friends.
'If you are a prayer - pray for my boy Ethan. 8yrs, precious and in bits. Thank you.'
After Christmas and New Year, Simon shared another statement on Instagram, explaining how he was feeling as he prepared to go back to the home he had shared with his wife and son.
It read, 'Since Gemma went I've managed 30 seconds in our bedroom before breaking down'. He went on to explain that the room where they slept and held each other was 'now a room of pain'.
He continued, 'Now is not the time for snap decisions and new starts, but how on earth do I deal with a house that has her creative touch woven into its very being? A house that sings Gemma?'. sic