Rio Ferdinand is set to give a poignant insight into his grief following the death of his wife Rebecca. The former footballer lost 34-year-old Rebecca, the mother of his three young children, to breast cancer in May 2015. Now, he has decided to write a book about his grief, following on from the success of his acclaimed BBC documentary, Being Mum and Dad. The book, titled Thinking Out Loud, will reveal the devastating impact Rebecca's death had on her family, and Rio's struggle to talk to his children about the loss of their mother.
Rio Ferdinand's book, Thinking Out Loud, will be released in October
Rio, 38, told the Sun: "After Rebecca died, I just wanted to put everything, the feelings, the hurt, the shock, into a box and leave it there. I didn't know what to say to my children. I felt I didn't have the answers for them, but I wanted to know what they were thinking and feeling. I wanted to reach them.
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"Gradually, over time, we've found our way. It's been a hard journey and I've had to learn to find ways of asking for help and talking about it. I really hope that in writing this book it might help other people who know someone close is going to pass away through illness, who have lost loved ones, or who've experience some kind of loss, find their way through it."
Rio with his beloved wife Rebecca, who passed away in May 2015
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The book is set to hit bookshops in October this year, and will be written by award-winning journalist Decca Aitkenhead. Rowena Webb, of publisher Hodder & Stoughton, said: "Like everyone who watched Rio's documentary, I was incredibly moved by his openness and courage. He has broken the taboo, especially for men, in sharing the difficult emotions and family issues grief gives rise to. I'm proud, as we all are at Hodder, to publish the book and bring his important help to so many people."