Legendary singer Tom Jones celebrated his milestone 84th birthday on Thursday, ahead of his concert in Dublin's St Anne's Park this weekend.
The Welsh superstar was at his beloved wife's bedside as she lost her fight against the cruel disease after cancelling the Asian leg of his tour and rushing to be close to her. Sir Tom and Linda were just 16 when they tied the knot after meeting in the mining village of Pontypridd. READ MORE: Ireland weather maps show date 'summer starts' as Met Eireann gives June heatwave verdict
Linda explained: "I feel alive when he comes though the door, whatever the time of day or night is." However, she did admit that the constant adulation from female made her uncomfortable. She didn't attend any of his concerts and wasn't at his side when he received his knighthood at Buckingham Palace in 2006.
That same year he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and spent two years in bed convalescing. When he recovered, Linda would smile at him as she walked to school in Treforest, South Glamorgan, but it was not until just after her 15th birthday that she agreed to date Tom, born Thomas Woodward. She was stripped of her Miss World crown, and when Sir Tom realised Linda was going to learn about that infidelity, he told the beauty queen it was over. When she found out about their affair, Linda was understandably furious. Sir Tom has previously said: “I stood there and took it. She chinned me. I said, ‘Go ahead’. She punched and shouted.”