Simon Thomas: Losing my wife, raising our son and battling depression as a Christian

Simon Thomas seemingly had it all. A successful and enviable career in TV, a loving family and a strong Christian faith. Then at quarter to six on Friday 24 November 2017, his world fell apart. Thomas was “utterly convinced” that his wife, Gemma, would be OK when she was first taken ill. But just three days after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, the 40-year-old passed away. Simon was devastated. His prayers for healing had gone unanswered, and he was now faced with breaking the news to the couple’s eight-year-old son, Ethan. As the days, weeks and months rolled by, Thomas would process much of his grief in public; writing raw and honest blogs and producing heartbreaking YouTube videos, often about how he was trying his best to support his son. In this in-depth interview, he opens up to Premier’s Marcus Jones about faith, unanswered prayer and his confidence that death is not the end.  The Profile is brought to you in association with Premier Christianity magazine. For a free sample copy of the latest issue visit premierchristianity.com/freesample