Mark Wright shares touching gesture from ‘one in a million’ grandad just hours before his death

Former TOWIE star Mark Wright has opened up about a touching moment he shared with his grandad in the hours before he died.

Mark’s grandad Eddie passed away at the age of 92 on Monday (January 6) after struggling with health issues after he had a fall last June and was hospitalised. The sad news came just a couple of weeks after Mark and his wife Michelle Keegan announced they are expecting their first baby together.

Mark’s fans got to know Eddie, who was a former champion boxer and a paramedic, when the pair starred in an episode of the BBC series Who Do You Think You Are? back in 2019. Mark, 37, wanted to do the family history programme so he and his grandad could learn more about their heritage.

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On Saturday morning, reality TV star Mark shared a touching tribute to his much-loved grandad in a long post on Instagram. Sharing a photo of them together, dressed up in suits and bowties, Mark described his grandad as “one in a million” and his “biggest supporter”.

Mark said he had received hundreds of messages from people since the news of his grandad’s death broke. “EVERY message has the same words written in some way. GENTLEMAN – KIND – LEGEND!! All these things you were and more,” Mark wrote.

He continued: “You loved your family so much and your biggest success is how close we all are and how many of us there is. You never got angry, you backed us no matter what, you never said no, even when I asked you to come on my stag do in Vegas at 83.”

Mark revealed that the last time he saw his grandad, on the day he passed away, the 92-year-old got up to wave him off despite his health struggles. He shared: “You waved us off from the window every time we left your house and even three hours before you fell asleep forever, short of breath and not much energy left, you uttered the words ‘I’ll come down and see you off son’. That sums you up, you put EVERYONE first. You made everyone feel so special and left a lasting impression on everyone I know.”

Mark added: “My friends love you, my wife loves you and everyone you met loves you. Grandad you can never be replaced because you was one in a million, but we can make sure your legacy lives on. I will continue to be the gentleman you taught me to be, will look after Nanny and continue to make you proud as one thing is for sure, you were my biggest supporter.”

He wrapped up his post by saying saying thank you to his grandad “for everything”. He wrote: “I’m so grateful I got to love you, be your mate, that you was my teacher, my boxing coach, my taxi driver, my idol, MY GRANDAD EDDIE you legend I LOVE YOU FOREVER.”

Mark and Michelle recently announced they are expecting a baby together -Credit:Mark Wright / Instagram

Mark’s wife Michelle shared the post on her own Instagram story and wrote alongside it: “Grandad Eddie… a gentleman in every sense of the word.”

Mark and Michelle announced they are expecting their first baby together just after Christmas, with the baby set to arrive the same year that the couple celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary.

Michelle was first to share the news with her millions of followers, telling them: “2025 is going to be a special one for us”. The simple pregnancy announcement featured a stunning photo of the couple on a beach, with Mark donning a white shirt and trousers and Michelle showing off her blossoming baby bump in a floating two-piece.

It was later reported that the picture was taken in early November as they decided to keep their special news between them and their loved ones for some time.