Who are Jonnie Irwin's children? A Place in the Sun star recorded heartbreaking message for his kids before his death at 50

Jonnie Irwin passed away at the age of 50 due to lung cancer on February 2, 2024. The A Place in the Sun star left a heartbreaking message for his three sons in his interview with the HELLO! magazine last summer.

Irwin and his wife, Jessica, share three sons, Rex, Rafa and Cormac. Rex is five years old while Rafa and Cormac are two-year-old twins. In an interview with the HELLO! magazine last year, Irwin had revealed that he had kept his battle with lung cancer a secret from his children

Irwin was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020, a week after he filmed A Place in the Sun in Italy. In 2022, the television star revealed that the cancer had spread into his brain and he had six months to live.

Jonnie Irwin's family announced his death via his Instagram page on February 2.

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Jonnie Irwin left a heartbreaking message for his sons, urging them to keep 'family first'

In his interview with the HELLO! magazine last summer, Irwin spoke about his terminal illness and the message he wanted to leave for his children. He wanted them to believe that 'they can do anything' and always keep their 'family first.'

"I want them to believe they can do anything… I want them to be confident, but believe in yourselves, because you can do anything… I've seen their capabilities and they're boundless. Family first, always look after your family. Your brothers, your mother... Put them first. Support them, love them, and know that they're so much more important than anyone else."

A week before his death, Irwin shared a selfie on his Instagram account in his hospital gown for his MRI scan. It was his last selfie before his death a week later.

Irwin made the most of the time he had in hand and also spoke about how he wanted to continue to communicate with his family after his death. In November 2022, Irwin spoke about communicating with his family through video messages and leaving behind 'a digital legacy'.

In a BBC One Morning Live segment, Jonnie Irwin explained how people can store their 'lifetime of memories' on digital platforms. He said that he had no idea what would happen to his pictures after his death, 'who’ll want to access them, or if they’ll get deleted and lost forever’.

The official account of A Place in The Sun posted a tribute message for Jonnie Irwin after his death, mentioning the cast and crew are 'heartbroken'. The actor presented the show for 18 years.

"We are heartbroken. Jonnie was a much-loved part of the A Place In The Sun family and for more than 18 years be brought joy, wit and bundles of energy to the show. We will mis him terribly. Our thoughts today are with Jess and the boys and the rest of Jonnie's family."

Irwin's co-star, Jasmine Harman, also posted a tribute message for Irwin where she said "the world is a little darker" without him.