In a heartwarming gesture that resonated with fans far and wide, John Farnham’s son, James, has taken to social media to express his love and admiration for his legendary father on his 74th birthday.
The heartfelt message comes at a poignant time as Farnham continues his battle with health issues, inspiring millions with his resilience and determination.
In celebration of the special occasion, James posted a series of throwback photos from a father and son trip to Africa.
“Happy Birthday Dad,” he wrote.
“You just had one of the hardest 12 months, and you smashed it! It doesn’t matter if it’s a concert stage or the stage of life, you always give it everything no matter what! I’m so thankful for that. You’re an inspiration to me and I’m sure many others. Thanks for everything. You’re the greatest and today is all about you!!
“Love ya heaps and heaps!!”
Fans quickly came together to celebrate Farnham’s birthday, praising James for his kind words.
“Give your Dad an extra long hug from everyone who would love to celebrate with him, his fans. Love the photos. Happiest of birthdays ever John, so much admiration for you,” one fan wrote.
“Sending my best to your father James. Hope he has a cracker of a day with the love and support you guys and all the people around the world give him. He’s truly a remarkable human. Send him my best and hope you’re good too.”
“Hope he’s having a wonderful day celebrating this very special day with all his loved ones. We all love him no matter what! He is a living legend,” commented another.
“It is wonderful to see your family photos and your dad smiling. To be honest, your father’s voice has been and still is my favorite. Happy, Happy Birthday, John Farnham.”
“Lovely words and yes John is and has always been an inspiration. Happy Birthday to John, here’s to a much better year ahead, sending all the good vibes always. Loving all the pics James.”
Affectionately known as “The Voice”, Farnham is considered by many as one of Australia’s most iconic singers. The legendary performer has captured the hearts of fans for decades with his powerhouse vocals and soul-stirring performances. However, away from the spotlight, the music legend has been confronting health challenges that have no doubt tested his resolve.
Farnham’s health woes began when he was admitted to hospital on August 23, 2022, for “surgery and ongoing treatment” after doctors discovered “a cancerous growth”.
At the time, Farnham issued a statement where he expressed his gratitude for having “the best specialist healthcare professionals in Victoria”.
“Cancer diagnosis is something that so many people face every single day, and countless others have walked this path before me,” he said.
Following a “successful” surgery that took a marathon 12 hours, it was announced that Farnham was in a stable condition and on the road to recovery.
Farnham’s wife, Jill, provided an update at the time where she revealed her husband was in “a stable condition in ICU”.
“The cancer tumour was located in his mouth and it has been successfully removed. There is still a long road of recovery and healing ahead of us, but we know John is up for that task,” she said.
Mere months after his surgery, Farnham returned to hospital with a respiratory infection. His family released a statement at the time, announcing that “John has been receiving ongoing treatment, care and rehabilitation support over recent months from his medical team.”
“He is currently being treated for a respiratory infection in hospital, but he is comfortable and receiving the very best care,” the statement read.
Fortunately, the entertainment icon “made a full recovery” an was quickly back on the road to recovery.
“We’re pleased to say that John made a full recovery from a recent chest infection in late March which required hospitalisation,” his family revealed at the time.