Actor and former footballer Vinnie Jones’ wife, Tanya, passed away at the couple’s home in Los Angeles on Saturday at the age of 53 after a long-fought battle with skin cancer.
In 2013, the two had come out stating that they were both suffering from the disease, with Vinnie having been diagnosed that very year, whilst Tanya had been fighting it for a while.
Tanya had an unfortunate history with illnesses, having been given an emergency heart transplant after the birth of her first daughter, Kaley, with her former husband, retired footballer Steve Terry, in 1987 at the age of 21.
And, prior to her melanoma diagnosis, she was also reported to have suffered from cervical cancer that was later treated successfully.
After her death in the early morning hours of Saturday, Jones’ management released the following statement, ‘At 8.46am local time in Los Angeles on Saturday, July 6, Vinnie Jones’s wife, Tanya Jones, passed away after a long illness. Tanya passed peacefully at the Jones family home surrounded by Vinnie, their daughter, and other family members. Vinnie and the family ask for privacy while they go through a reasonable period of mourning during this devastating time.’
The couple renewed their marriage vows in 2007 after having wed back in 1994 and would’ve celebrated their 25th anniversary this year. They also had a son together, named Aaron.
Jones, 54, experienced a wave of solidarity and condolences from colleagues of past and presented alike, including former boxer Frank Bruno and ex-Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell.
Playing between 1984 and 1999, Jones made 446 league appearances, before becoming an actor, taking high-profile roles in X-Men: The Last Stand and Gone in 60 Seconds.