Reality star and model Danielle Mason has revealed that former This Morning anchor Eamonn Holmes reached out to her several weeks ago following the death of her father
Eamonn Holmes reached out to reality star Danielle Mason after the death of her father. Her dad, Ronald, died in October this year after a courageous 12-year-long fight against leukaemia.
At the time of announcing Ronald’s death, Danielle, 42, said she had “never felt pain like this”. Now, Danielle, the sister of EastEnders legend Jessie Wallace, is facing the heartbreak of her first Christmas without her dad, who was married to her mum Annette for over four decades.
But while she’s currently dealing with her grief, Danielle explained that GB News and former This Morning anchor, Eamonn Holmes and Linda Robson, reached out to her on Instagram following Ronald’s death. She hopes speaking openly will help others who feel the same ache. “Christmas is really hard this year,” she admits. “I’ve got two children, so I have to keep things normal for them. My dad wouldn’t want Christmas cancelled. But my mum Annette doesn’t feel like putting a tree up – after 45 years of marriage, she’s suddenly on her own. I get why she can’t face it.”
But Danielle admits she “needs” to put her tree up for her Children, admitting: “I don’t want them to miss out on their Christmas celebrations just because my dad’s passed away – he wouldn’t want that either.” She added: “My mum has her moments where we sit and talk and laugh, but then we can be crying the next minute. I am finding it very hard, but I’m starting to be able to function despite the grief constantly lingering in my mind. It feels like a wound that can open up at any time.”
Danielle is doing her best to support everyone around her, even while grieving herself. “I feel like I’ve had to be the strong one,” she says. “I don’t want to offload onto my mum because she’s hurting so much. My sisters have been a massive support – they’ve really helped hold things together. We lean on each other a lot.”
Danielle is doing her best to support everyone around her, even while grieving herself.“I feel like I’ve had to be the strong one,” she says. “I don’t want to offload onto my mum because she’s hurting so much. My sisters have been a massive support – they’ve really helped hold things together. We lean on each other a lot.”
The weeks following her father’s death were especially overwhelming. She’s found comfort in unexpected places – including the TV show she appeared on before her dad passed. “Being on The Masked Singer charity fundraiser with Pat Sharpe and other celebrities earlier this year is something my dad was so proud of.”
Danielle smiles. “People still message me about it, saying how much they enjoyed it. It sounds small, but those messages really lift you when you’re grieving. We had to wait five weeks for the funeral, and I kept going to see him because I needed to know he was at peace,” she explains. “I thought I was coping, but when the funeral finally happened, it hit me harder than I expected. Then when they called to say his ashes were ready, the grief just started again. It comes in waves.
”The strain has affected her physically.“My panic attacks have come back. They just hit out of nowhere,” she says. “Grief brings everything to the surface.”But what has surprised Danielle most is the kindness of others. “The online community has honestly kept me going,” she says. “People I’ve never met have shared their own stories of losing a parent. It makes you realise you’re not the only one dreading Christmas. There’s so much comfort in feeling understood.”
She’s also been touched by support from well-known faces, including her GB News colleague Eamonn Holmes. “Eamonn messaged me, which meant so much,” Danielle shared. “He knows what grief is like, and he took the time to send such kind words. It reminded me how many people go through this.”
Little keepsakes and spiritual signs bring her moments of peace.“I had some of the funeral flowers set into a resin ornament so I’ll always have them,” she says. “I cut a lock of my dad’s hair, and I’m having a necklace made with some of his ashes. And I’ve started noticing feathers and robins again. It might sound strange, but I take comfort in believing it’s him.”
Despite everything, Danielle is trying to move gently forward.“I’d like to start working again because keeping busy helps, but I’m not rushing it,” she says. “I’m just taking each day as it comes.”
Her hope is that by sharing her experience, others will feel less isolated. “Grief is love that doesn’t know where to go,” Danielle says. “Some days it’s quiet, some days it hits you like a fresh cut. But you learn ways to cope. And when you realise how many people are going through the same thing at Christmas, you don’t feel so alone.”
She added: “The waiting period for my father’s funeral was hard. I needed to see him for closure, but it affected me deeply. When I was informed that his ashes were ready, it struck me hard again: I wouldn’t see his face again. It’s been a cycle of emotions, and while I try to move forward, I often find myself thinking about what-ifs in his care that can lead to panic attacks resurfacing. Grief is love that has nowhere to go. Many out there experience the same pain, and I often wonder if they’re dreading Christmas as well.
“I find comfort in speaking to others who are navigating similar experiences. Many I’ve met online understand and share this journey, offering support. Friends have also been really good to me, and a couple of them have been through it too, which makes it easier. I feel like I can’t go to my mum because I have to support her, and it ends up being quite stressful.
“The whole family has been affected, but we came together for the funeral. I take comfort in my friends; I trust them to understand what I’m going through while I need to be strong for my mum. It’s what my dad would want. I feel lucky to have been there for him at the end, but that doesn’t make it easier. Grief is never easy, but we can help and support one another. As you navigate this season, remember that creating new traditions or sweet memories can honour your loved one beautifully.”
The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000.
If you have been affected by this story, Cruse Bereavement Support offers free help to make sense of how you are feeling. Click here for their website or call 0808 808 1677.
Source: Mirror
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