Barnaby Joyce’s ‘innocent, loving’ younger brother dies from cancer

Barnaby Joyce is mourning the loss of his younger brother, who died from cancer at the weekend.

Tim Joyce died at the age of 42 after being rushed to a Sydney hospital on Friday. Radio host Alan Jones announced the news on his 2GB breakfast program on Monday morning after the former Nationals leader was forced to pull out of their scheduled interview.

“He was to come on to the program to talk about drought, he didn’t appear and I couldn’t get on to him,” Jones said.

“Just before I came off air, I had a text from Barnaby, to tell me his brother Tim had been admitted to intensive care at Royal North Shore Hospital.

“Barnaby’s younger brother Tim died at the weekend.”

Jones read out the “beautiful” text message her received from Joyce in which he described his brother as “loving” and “innocent”.

“He said of his brother Tim, ‘he looked at the ceiling and said thank you God for giving me the experience of life. Then he faded out, and we said the rosary around him. He was such an innocent, loving boy.”

Jones said Tim was the father to three young children and that the family had been through a rough time dealing with his “terminal cancer”.

The former deputy prime minister has been on personal leave since May, following the birth of his son with partner Vikki Campion.

Can you relate to what Barnaby Joyce is going through? Have you ever lost a loved one to cancer?