Kym Marsh suffers another tragic family loss as she shares heartbreaking tribute

Actress Kym Marsh has revealed her family has suffered another devastating death as she paid an emotional tribute on her social media following the loss of her dad

Kym Marsh has shared a heartbreaking family update(Image: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty I)

Kym Marsh has shared a tragic family update as they suffered another death. The actress, 49, posted the devastating news to her followers alongside a heartfelt tribute.

She sadly lost her beloved dad in January last year as he died after a long battle with prostate cancer. Kym has now shared her cousin Carl has died “far too soon” alongside a heartbreaking message.

The TV star wrote: “I can’t believe I’m writing this. Today our family say goodbye to Carl. My cousin. A legend to all who knew him. A light turned out far too soon.” It comes after reports of the sad fortune Steve Irwin left his wife and kids as they went into debt.

READ MORE: Katie Price reaches out to Harvey’s lookalike half-brother but fears ‘he’s too scared’READ MORE: Danielle Lloyd hospitalised in heartbreaking skin cancer update

Kym Marsh's cousin Carl
Kym paid an emotional tribute to her cousin Carl(Image: INSTAGRAM)

“A huge hole in our lives that will never be filled. Sometimes life makes no sense. There are times when you just can’t understand how such cruel things happen, to good honest people. This is one of those times.”

She added: “Carl was the kindest, funniest, most unique person I’ve ever known. The memories I have of us growing up, the camping holidays with the fam, the laughs, your silliness, your loyalty.

“You were one of a kind cuz, and I will miss you until the end of time. I wish I could be there today to say my final goodbye, but I know that you know how much I love you, and I know you would be telling me to stop being a silly arse and stop crying, and that you would want me to be where I am doing what I’m doing.

“Doesn’t stop me wishing I was there, or thinking of my family today, or grieving, or wishing I could make this better for everyone. I know that the family will give you the best send off cuz and that they will do you proud.”

Kym emotionally concluded: “We will love you forever and always. Good night god bless my wonderful cousin. Sleep tight.”

Kym and father Dave
Her dad died last year following a cancer diagnosis(Image: Kym Marsh/Instagram)

Earlier this year, Kym marked what would have been her dad Dave’s 80th birthday with a heartfelt tribute. She shared a photo of her dad smiling while holding a bowl of ice cream.

She penned: “Happy heavenly birthday Poppa Bear. You would have been 80 today and I so wish you were here to celebrate that! I would love nothing more than to hear you laugh and tell jokes and look at your amazing smiley face. I miss you so much Dad.”

Kym added: “You have left a huge hole in my life that can never be filled. My hero. My biggest champion. My world. I love you always and forever, or as you would say, to Aldi and back!! Have fun up there. Always your shadow, Kym.”

Kym has spoken about grief and “hard times” recently. In an interview with Closer magazine, she suggested that “life is always a struggle” and teased that she will “put herself first for once” ahead of her 50th birthday next year.

It comes following the family heartbreaks and her split from her boyfriend. She told the outlet: “Life is always a struggle – it’s not like all of a sudden, it’s a fairy tale.”

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Kym then said that there are “always things” that people are struggling with, whether that be a “hard time” or “trying to achieve a dream,” before adding that her advice is to “just keep going”.

READ MORE: 48p-a-day supplement ‘solved tummy issues’ for shoppers but deal ends soon

If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Macmillan Cancer Support and Prostate Cancer UK.

Kym Marsh suffers another tragic family loss as she shares heartbreaking tribute

Actress Kym Marsh has revealed her family has suffered another devastating death as she paid an emotional tribute on her social media following the loss of her dad

Kym Marsh has shared a heartbreaking family update(Image: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty I)

Kym Marsh has shared a tragic family update as they suffered another death. The actress, 49, posted the devastating news to her followers alongside a heartfelt tribute.

She sadly lost her beloved dad in January last year as he died after a long battle with prostate cancer. Kym has now shared her cousin Carl has died “far too soon” alongside a heartbreaking message.

The TV star wrote: “I can’t believe I’m writing this. Today our family say goodbye to Carl. My cousin. A legend to all who knew him. A light turned out far too soon.” It comes after reports of the sad fortune Steve Irwin left his wife and kids as they went into debt.

READ MORE: Katie Price reaches out to Harvey’s lookalike half-brother but fears ‘he’s too scared’READ MORE: Danielle Lloyd hospitalised in heartbreaking skin cancer update

Kym Marsh's cousin Carl
Kym paid an emotional tribute to her cousin Carl(Image: INSTAGRAM)

“A huge hole in our lives that will never be filled. Sometimes life makes no sense. There are times when you just can’t understand how such cruel things happen, to good honest people. This is one of those times.”

She added: “Carl was the kindest, funniest, most unique person I’ve ever known. The memories I have of us growing up, the camping holidays with the fam, the laughs, your silliness, your loyalty.

“You were one of a kind cuz, and I will miss you until the end of time. I wish I could be there today to say my final goodbye, but I know that you know how much I love you, and I know you would be telling me to stop being a silly arse and stop crying, and that you would want me to be where I am doing what I’m doing.

“Doesn’t stop me wishing I was there, or thinking of my family today, or grieving, or wishing I could make this better for everyone. I know that the family will give you the best send off cuz and that they will do you proud.”

Kym emotionally concluded: “We will love you forever and always. Good night god bless my wonderful cousin. Sleep tight.”

Kym and father Dave
Her dad died last year following a cancer diagnosis(Image: Kym Marsh/Instagram)

Earlier this year, Kym marked what would have been her dad Dave’s 80th birthday with a heartfelt tribute. She shared a photo of her dad smiling while holding a bowl of ice cream.

She penned: “Happy heavenly birthday Poppa Bear. You would have been 80 today and I so wish you were here to celebrate that! I would love nothing more than to hear you laugh and tell jokes and look at your amazing smiley face. I miss you so much Dad.”

Kym added: “You have left a huge hole in my life that can never be filled. My hero. My biggest champion. My world. I love you always and forever, or as you would say, to Aldi and back!! Have fun up there. Always your shadow, Kym.”

Kym has spoken about grief and “hard times” recently. In an interview with Closer magazine, she suggested that “life is always a struggle” and teased that she will “put herself first for once” ahead of her 50th birthday next year.

It comes following the family heartbreaks and her split from her boyfriend. She told the outlet: “Life is always a struggle – it’s not like all of a sudden, it’s a fairy tale.”

Article continues below

Kym then said that there are “always things” that people are struggling with, whether that be a “hard time” or “trying to achieve a dream,” before adding that her advice is to “just keep going”.

READ MORE: 48p-a-day supplement ‘solved tummy issues’ for shoppers but deal ends soon

If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Macmillan Cancer Support and Prostate Cancer UK.

Gladiator star Steel says medical procedure contributed to death of newborn son

Gladiator Steel – real name Zack George – and his wife Samantha give their first joint interview about the sad passing of their beloved son Leo who died after 13 days

When baby Leo was born in March, mum Samantha George was afraid to open her eyes. At just 23 weeks into her pregnancy, her longed for little boy had arrived dangerously early and doctors warned her there was only a 50% chance he would survive the birth.

But like his Gladiator dad Zack, 35, Leo was a fighter. “He had Zack’s nose and forehead,” smiles Samantha. “We said to the doctors, ‘As long as you feel there is a chance of life, do whatever you can.’”

When Leo was born, Zack – Steel on Gladiators – and his wife Samantha were already parents to Ivy, two. Zack and Samantha married last year at Harlaxton Manor in Grantham, in front of friends, family and a band of Gladiators.

Zack George has set up a charity called Leo and Friends in honour of his beloved son who died earlier this year(Image: Chelsea White)

“We always said we wanted to give Ivy a sibling,” says Samantha. “We married in September and were pregnant at the end of October. We were so chuffed.”

The pregnancy had progressed normally and at the 20-week scan, Samantha and Zack were delighted to discover they were expecting a baby boy. “It was perfect,” adds Zack. “We always wanted a boy and a girl.”

So they were shocked when two weeks later, Samantha felt something was wrong. At the hospital, doctors told her she was in labour – and talked them through their options.

“They give you a piece of paper that basically tells you the likelihood of your baby surviving, and if they do, the possibilities of issues with their sight, hearing, and other disabilities,” says Zack, who was told just 28 out of 100 babies born as early as Leo grow up. “They weren’t great stats. We could have chosen an abortion,” says Zack. “But that never would have been an option.”

Zack and Samantha had experience of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as their niece had been born at 24 weeks and, against the odds, she’d thrived. They hoped Leo would have a similar journey and the early signs were promising.

“He had everything going for him,” says Zack. “He was big, he had a good heart rate.”

They decided their baby needed a strong name. “So he became Leo the Lion because he was strong and he was fighting,” Zack says.

At first, Leo seemed to be defying the odds. “It’s such a rocky road,” says Samantha. “But when your baby comes out alive, you think, ‘We’re just going to get through this now.’”

Zack and Samantha hold toddler Ivy in a field
Zack and Samantha George love being parents and want another baby(Image: Chelsea White)

Zack shared Samantha’s positivity, and they stayed by their son’s side, willing him to keep going.

“He was here for 13 days,” says Zack. “He came out and he was really strong. There was a honeymoon period where for the first day or two everything seemed to be going really well. So well, they decided to take him off the ventilator. He lasted about six hours on CPAP (a non-invasive form of breathing support), then they retubed him, which he stayed on.”

“After the ‘honeymoon stage’ – the first two days – things started to happen, like brain bleeds,” says Zack. “Leo needed blood transfusions, which is normal; his lungs were collapsing, which they expected, there was a hole in his heart and that’s expected, too, as that hole in the heart closes up in later pregnancy.”

However, there was another issue worrying doctors. “He was getting air pockets around his lungs,” explains Zack. “Around the tenth day they started getting a bit bigger. They came to the conclusion that when they tubed him, either the first or the second time, they created a hole in his windpipe. It’s no one’s fault, a baby that young is really fragile, it’s just a risk.”

A crocheted lion keyring is a reminder of Leo
Baby Leo will never be forgotten and the charity Leo and Friends will be his legacy(Image: Chelsea White)

Sadly, baby Leo began to deteriorate and Zack and Samantha’s family came in to say their goodbyes.

“That was really hard, because if it hadn’t happened, he would probably still be here,” says Zack. “A 23-week-old baby has so much to do. Overnight, he got quite bad, that’s when we went in and he passed away.”

Doctors asked Samantha and Zack if they wanted to try CPR but they couldn’t ask Leo to fight any more. “Imagine that on a baby so tiny?” says Samantha. “We didn’t want to put him through any more pain.”

Ivy never met her brother, and Samantha and Zack will wait until she’s older to tell her what happened. But she brought comfort in their darkest period.

“Ivy definitely helped,” says Zack. “She brought us a lot of joy, kept us smiling and was a good distraction. She has helped us more than she’ll ever know.”

Zack and Samantha have leaned on each other, too, and they’ve been helped by fans who have reached out to them and shared their own experiences. After Leo passed away, Samantha felt “switched off from the whole world” but Zack pulled her through. “It makes you realise you’ve married the right person,” says Samantha, her eyes filling with tears.

Samantha holds toddler Ivy and Zack smiles at them with his arms around them both
Ivy has helped her parents Zack and Samantha through their grief(Image: Chelsea White)

Zack poured his feelings into writing a poem he read at Leo’s funeral and began to think of ways to honour his son’s memory. “I’m not normally good at writing poems, but it seemed to come quite naturally.”

Now Zack and Samantha are launching their charity Leo And Friends, which will raise awareness as well as money for Leicester hospital’s NICU department. It starts with a fundraiser called 13 Days Fighting, sponsored by Currys, which will take place across the UK this month. “I want to try to get something positive out of a really bad situation,” Zack says. “We want to honour him every year with a different challenge and raise awareness and money for Leicester hospital and its amazing staff.”

Zack’s first challenge will be a burpee mile – about 800 burpees – every day for each of the 13 days that his son lived. “Just doing one mile is hard,” says Zack. “Doing 13 back to back will be extremely tough, but I want that. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Samantha plays with her daughter Ivy in a grassy field. They are both wearing white
Samantha would like to have another baby so Ivy can have a sibling to play with(Image: Chelsea White)

Zack and Samantha are still processing their grief, but they hope to one day have another baby. “I love Ivy so much I want to give her a friend for life. We’ve been given the OK to try again when we’re ready.”

Article continues below

Both Samantha and Zack feel baby Leo is watching over them and will always be part of their family. “It’s been a really short time, but I need to fill that void,” says Samantha. “We want another baby, another little boy, but we both say, ‘Whatever Leo decides to give us.’ People say you’ll never replace Leo, but I do feel my next baby will be a big part of him.”

Gladiator star Steel says medical procedure contributed to death of newborn son

Gladiator Steel – real name Zack George – and his wife Samantha give their first joint interview about the sad passing of their beloved son Leo who died after 13 days

When baby Leo was born in March, mum Samantha George was afraid to open her eyes. At just 23 weeks into her pregnancy, her longed for little boy had arrived dangerously early and doctors warned her there was only a 50% chance he would survive the birth.

But like his Gladiator dad Zack, 35, Leo was a fighter. “He had Zack’s nose and forehead,” smiles Samantha. “We said to the doctors, ‘As long as you feel there is a chance of life, do whatever you can.’”

When Leo was born, Zack – Steel on Gladiators – and his wife Samantha were already parents to Ivy, two. Zack and Samantha married last year at Harlaxton Manor in Grantham, in front of friends, family and a band of Gladiators.

Zack George has set up a charity called Leo and Friends in honour of his beloved son who died earlier this year(Image: Chelsea White)

“We always said we wanted to give Ivy a sibling,” says Samantha. “We married in September and were pregnant at the end of October. We were so chuffed.”

The pregnancy had progressed normally and at the 20-week scan, Samantha and Zack were delighted to discover they were expecting a baby boy. “It was perfect,” adds Zack. “We always wanted a boy and a girl.”

So they were shocked when two weeks later, Samantha felt something was wrong. At the hospital, doctors told her she was in labour – and talked them through their options.

“They give you a piece of paper that basically tells you the likelihood of your baby surviving, and if they do, the possibilities of issues with their sight, hearing, and other disabilities,” says Zack, who was told just 28 out of 100 babies born as early as Leo grow up. “They weren’t great stats. We could have chosen an abortion,” says Zack. “But that never would have been an option.”

Zack and Samantha had experience of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as their niece had been born at 24 weeks and, against the odds, she’d thrived. They hoped Leo would have a similar journey and the early signs were promising.

“He had everything going for him,” says Zack. “He was big, he had a good heart rate.”

They decided their baby needed a strong name. “So he became Leo the Lion because he was strong and he was fighting,” Zack says.

At first, Leo seemed to be defying the odds. “It’s such a rocky road,” says Samantha. “But when your baby comes out alive, you think, ‘We’re just going to get through this now.’”

Zack and Samantha hold toddler Ivy in a field
Zack and Samantha George love being parents and want another baby(Image: Chelsea White)

Zack shared Samantha’s positivity, and they stayed by their son’s side, willing him to keep going.

“He was here for 13 days,” says Zack. “He came out and he was really strong. There was a honeymoon period where for the first day or two everything seemed to be going really well. So well, they decided to take him off the ventilator. He lasted about six hours on CPAP (a non-invasive form of breathing support), then they retubed him, which he stayed on.”

“After the ‘honeymoon stage’ – the first two days – things started to happen, like brain bleeds,” says Zack. “Leo needed blood transfusions, which is normal; his lungs were collapsing, which they expected, there was a hole in his heart and that’s expected, too, as that hole in the heart closes up in later pregnancy.”

However, there was another issue worrying doctors. “He was getting air pockets around his lungs,” explains Zack. “Around the tenth day they started getting a bit bigger. They came to the conclusion that when they tubed him, either the first or the second time, they created a hole in his windpipe. It’s no one’s fault, a baby that young is really fragile, it’s just a risk.”

A crocheted lion keyring is a reminder of Leo
Baby Leo will never be forgotten and the charity Leo and Friends will be his legacy(Image: Chelsea White)

Sadly, baby Leo began to deteriorate and Zack and Samantha’s family came in to say their goodbyes.

“That was really hard, because if it hadn’t happened, he would probably still be here,” says Zack. “A 23-week-old baby has so much to do. Overnight, he got quite bad, that’s when we went in and he passed away.”

Doctors asked Samantha and Zack if they wanted to try CPR but they couldn’t ask Leo to fight any more. “Imagine that on a baby so tiny?” says Samantha. “We didn’t want to put him through any more pain.”

Ivy never met her brother, and Samantha and Zack will wait until she’s older to tell her what happened. But she brought comfort in their darkest period.

“Ivy definitely helped,” says Zack. “She brought us a lot of joy, kept us smiling and was a good distraction. She has helped us more than she’ll ever know.”

Zack and Samantha have leaned on each other, too, and they’ve been helped by fans who have reached out to them and shared their own experiences. After Leo passed away, Samantha felt “switched off from the whole world” but Zack pulled her through. “It makes you realise you’ve married the right person,” says Samantha, her eyes filling with tears.

Samantha holds toddler Ivy and Zack smiles at them with his arms around them both
Ivy has helped her parents Zack and Samantha through their grief(Image: Chelsea White)

Zack poured his feelings into writing a poem he read at Leo’s funeral and began to think of ways to honour his son’s memory. “I’m not normally good at writing poems, but it seemed to come quite naturally.”

Now Zack and Samantha are launching their charity Leo And Friends, which will raise awareness as well as money for Leicester hospital’s NICU department. It starts with a fundraiser called 13 Days Fighting, sponsored by Currys, which will take place across the UK this month. “I want to try to get something positive out of a really bad situation,” Zack says. “We want to honour him every year with a different challenge and raise awareness and money for Leicester hospital and its amazing staff.”

Zack’s first challenge will be a burpee mile – about 800 burpees – every day for each of the 13 days that his son lived. “Just doing one mile is hard,” says Zack. “Doing 13 back to back will be extremely tough, but I want that. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Samantha plays with her daughter Ivy in a grassy field. They are both wearing white
Samantha would like to have another baby so Ivy can have a sibling to play with(Image: Chelsea White)

Zack and Samantha are still processing their grief, but they hope to one day have another baby. “I love Ivy so much I want to give her a friend for life. We’ve been given the OK to try again when we’re ready.”

Article continues below

Both Samantha and Zack feel baby Leo is watching over them and will always be part of their family. “It’s been a really short time, but I need to fill that void,” says Samantha. “We want another baby, another little boy, but we both say, ‘Whatever Leo decides to give us.’ People say you’ll never replace Leo, but I do feel my next baby will be a big part of him.”

MVP open to funding Taylor v Cameron 3 at Croke Park

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Jake Paul’s Most Vaulable Promotions is prepared to fund a Croke Park stadium fight between Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron, says its CEO Nakisa Bidarian.

MVP, fronted by Youtuber-turned-boxer Paul, has worked with Ireland’s Taylor on her last two fights against Amanda Serrano in the United States.

Cameron, the only woman to have beaten Taylor in the pro ranks, is signed to MVP and making the trilogy between the rivals is one of MVP’s priorities.

“Chantelle is a tough fight for Katie”, Bidarian told BBC Sport.

“It’s her only loss. So you have to really see if that makes sense, and we’d like to do that at Croke Park.

” We haven’t talked to Matchroom about it, but Jake and I have talked at length about it. “

Cameron, 34, has been chasing a third fight with Taylor since their rematch in late 2023.

This week the WBC ordered 39-year-old Taylor to defend her light-welterweight world title against the Englishwoman.

Taylor has spoken openly about her desire to fight at Croke Park, but her promoters Matchroom have been unable to come to terms with the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).

Her two fights in Ireland have been at the 3Arena in Dublin, housing about 9, 000 fans.

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn says the 82, 000-seater stadium has significant costs that would need to be paid upfront and it’s” difficult to make the numbers work “with those and prospective purses.

Bidarian, however, says MVP is willing to provide the funds.

” 100% for the right fight, we would be willing to do that, “Bidarian said”. There’s no doubt about it. “

Responding to Bidarian’s comments, Hearn said:” They had the chance to fund the Serrano fight at Croke Park, but they chose to go to Madison Square Garden because it was a lot more lucrative.

“It’s a nice soundbite. But the reality is it won’t be down to Nakisa.

” It will be down to Katie Taylor which at this stage the first question is, do you want to fight again?

“Croke Park is really the only box that’s never been ticked, so if she fights again, I think it will probably come with the carrot of Croke Park.

Scotney chases undisputed &amp, Harper v Dubois

Bidarian and MVP now have a host of elite female fighters to look after with Ellie Scotney, Terri Harper, Savannah Marshall, Ramla Ali and Shannon Courtenay on their books.

Several of those made their promotional debuts on the undercard of Taylor v Serrano 3 in July.

Nearly 6m people watched the event on Netflix, 4.2m of those in the US which is more than the audience for the WNBA finals or Coco Gauff’s French Open final triumph.

Bidarian says 70% of the revenue went to the fighters with over eight figures being spent on purses.

MVP plan to stage their first event in the UK sometime between December and February.

Asked what fights MVP wanted to make next, Bidarian said securing IBF, WBO and WBC super-bantamweight world champion Scotney an undisputed title shot is a priority, as is an all-British unification clash at lightweight.

WBO lightweight champion Harper is MVP’s latest British signing and Bidarian is keen to match the Doncaster boxer with rival world champion Caroline Dubois.

MVP also recently signed former UFC champion Holly Holm and WBA lightweight champion Stephanie Han, who are both options for Harper.

” Holly is the true wild card in that equation because she should be getting ranked]with a sanctioning body], and she should be able to fight for a championship, “Bidarian said.

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Brooklyn Beckham blasted by celebrity chef after burning bacon in carbonara clip

The aspiring chef, 26, made the culinary blunder in a clip shared with his 16.1 million Instagram followers and was last night blasted by Italian chef Aldo Zilli

Brooklyn was heavily criticised for burning his lardons(Image: brooklynpeltzbeckham/Instagram)

Brooklyn Beckham has been roasted by a top celebrity chef – for sticking burnt bacon on a carbonara.

The 26-year-old made the culinary faux pas in a clip shared on social media. Last night Italian chef Aldo Zilli blasted: “Nowadays every celebrity is jumping on the cooking bandwagon. Burning guanciale [bacon lardons] would cause it to become bitter, hard and make the carbonara taste terrible – maybe he needs a masterclass from Aldo Zilli! Stop changing recipes!”

Zilli, 69, who specialises in Italian cuisine, was among hundreds to criticise the Beckham star, with one fan adding: “As an Italian.. no. That cheek is burnt.” But Brooklyn hit back: “Guanciale has a lot of sugar in and that’s why it’s darker. I slow cooked it so it’s not burned.” It comes after reports of Victoria Beckham’s four-word comment to Geri Horner amid Spice Girls ‘feud’.

READ MORE: Romeo Beckham shares cryptic tattoo amid family feud with brother BrooklynREAD MORE: Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz renew wedding vows amid bitter family feud

Brooklyn posted the video on Instagram(Image: brooklynpeltzbeckham/Instagram)

It’s not the Beckham star’s first culinary gaffe. Last year, he was slammed for serving up blackened pizza in a clip plugging his new hot sauce, Cloud9. And he was branded “unhygienic” for using sea water to make a pasta dish. His now defunct YouTube show Cookin with Brooklyn reportedly cost £74K per episode to produce.

Brooklyn, now estranged from parents David and Victoria, renewed his vows to wife Nicola Peltz, 30, last week. A source said: “This is a moment to celebrate their love and commitment, and to create a meaningful memory together.”

Back in June, Brooklyn shared a memory of the day he proposed to Nicola in 2019. At the time of the couple’s third wedding anniversary in April, neither Victoria or David publicly wished the pair a happy anniversary which, according to reports, was unusual considering they are both avid social media users.

Chef Aldo Zilli says burnt lardons would make a carbonara “taste terrible” (Image: Supplied by Aldo Zilli)
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The family feud intensified when Brooklyn failed to attend any his dad’s 50th birthday parties in May. And highlighting the estrangement further, Brooklyn happily posted a birthday message to his father-in-law, Nelson Peltz. At the time he wrote: “Happy birthday Nelson x We love you.”