British footballer Joshua Vickers (27) has lost his wife Laura, who died after a long battle with cancer. The young couple had married just three months ago.
The goalkeeper, who plays for British club Derby County – called The Rams – announced the sad news on Instagram on Sunday (September 24th). In an emotional post, he shared: “I’ve written and rewritten this so many times and I still can’t find the right words and don’t know if I ever will. On Tuesday evening my wife lost her long battle with cancer. ..” He also included a photo of the wedding that took place on June 1, 2023. A year earlier, on June 11, 2022, he asked for Laura’s hand in marriage at Lake Louise in Canada.
Now the professional athlete, who also played for Arsenal FC, has to come to terms with the loss of his loved ones. “Laura is the strongest, bravest and most loving person I have ever met,” he remembers. “Despite everything she went through, she continued to smile and never let anything get in the way of having a good time and creating a life full of memories.” He further wrote, “We cried, laughed and danced our way through hard times. I will cherish every moment we spent together, from the first time we met to the moment you fell asleep peacefully.”
He added touching lines to his wife: “I know you will look down on me and continue to inspire me every day. I love you forever and ever.” He also thanked everyone who supported him and their families “during this incredibly difficult time.”
This includes his Rams teammates. Striker Martyn Waghorn (33) posted a squad photo in his story with the caption “We’re all with you, buddy” and also published a game from the previous evening in which Vickers was missing “for personal reasons”. The team held up their goalkeeper’s jersey after a goal. Now Vickers has explained the sad reason why he wasn’t on the field.