Rob Kearney and Jess Redden have officially put their wedding plans on hold for the foreseeable future.
The happy couple, who announced their engagement joy earlier this year after he popped the question in New York, were due to wed next summer. However, they’ve since decided to press pause on their nuptials.
Speaking to Ryan Tubridy on the Late Late Show, the rugby ace revealed that a lot of factors influenced the decision – but the main one was the loss of her dad, Brian, who passed away in September.
“We had provisionally booked for next June, but then with Covid, things were sort of put on hold a little bit.
“And unfortunately Jess lost her dad last month, so it’s taken a little bit of a back seat as you can imagine,” Rob said.
“But we’re still both very excited, and once she’s ready to face the emotions that a wedding will bring with it, we’ll get it done.
“It’s a difficult time, and you feel sorry for people trying to organise weddings now. So it’ll happen in due course, like I said when she feels ready.”
A month after her dad’s passing, Jess admits the grief can be overwhelming at at times, but the support of her family and friends has brought huge comfort.
Sharing a number of beautiful family snaps, she said, “Everyone’s journey of grief is subjective and sometimes we get out of bed and carry on with our lives but other days we think what’s the point?
“The point is that the person we lost never truly leaves us, they would want us to keep going, to keep smiling, laughing and living.”
She continued, “Losing a parent is not easy, I tried to find support online but grief is something that’s not widely spoken about so to everyone who has lost someone they love – I send all my light and love to you. If you can’t cope right now let the people around you do it for you, support is everything.
“To my dad – I love you endlessly and I’m so grateful for every moment we had together. It’s hit me hard today but I feel your hands on my shoulders every day, my angel in heaven.”
At the time of his death, Jess revealed her “world stopped spinning.”
In an emotional tribute to her dad, she said, “I promise to always keep making you proud dad. We may not ever see you, but we’ll never be apart.
“God has you in his arms but we’ll always have you in our heart. Rest in peace our beautiful daddy. I love you.”