‘To miss these days seems unfair’: Jock Zonfrillo’s daughter marks her first birthday ‘without her Papa’
In a bittersweet moment, the family of the late Jock Zonfrillo has once again navigated a significant milestone without him, as their three-year-old daughter celebrated her first birthday “without her Papa”.
Zonfrillo passed away unexpectedly earlier this on Sunday, April 30 at the age of 46, his death leaving a void not only in the culinary world but also in the hearts of his loved ones.
As his family works to comprehend their loss and move forward, Zonfrillo’s widow Lauren recently reflected on her late husband’s absence as the family celebrated their daughter’s birthday.
Taking to Instagram, Lauren shared a series of photos from the special day while sharing how difficult occasions such as this are without her husband by her side.
“We had Isla’s first birthday party without her Papa,” she wrote.
“Jock would have been up all night the day before, the first one out of bed in the morning. Menu planning for weeks. Then I would have fallen asleep on Jock’s chest after the party, talking through how it went, if Isla had a good time, did people eat and drink enough, would she remember any of it.
“This year I did a BBQ and the rest of the food was outsourced to my sister and Mark. @avazonfrillo blew up the balloons. Uber delivered the cake. I cried as I dressed the kids. I fell asleep without Jock.
“This exact day last year we were flying back from Rome, having started the plan for our new life together in Italy. A dream that never came to be.
“For Jock to miss these days seems unfair and unbearable, and another of the firsts we are pushing through as a family. But our little ones are finding joy again, they are being the happy and cheeky children they always were, and I’m grateful that life keeps dragging us forward day by day. lz.”
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Fans and members of the public wasted no time in flooding Lauren’s post with heartfelt messages of support.
“Firsts are the hardest, its like losing them all over again. Keep being strong for you, your family and the gorgeous children you had with Jock. The more you talk about him, the more he will stay forever in your lives,” one person wrote.
“Heartbreaking. Keep talking and expressing your love for your beloved Jock. You’re keeping his memory alive.”
“You’re doing a wonderful job keeping things going and I’m sure it isn’t easy especially on occasions like this. Your children will look back and see the strength that you have to make things special and joyful for them,” commented another.
“You did a great job! He is definitely super proud and watching from above.”
Lauren has made an effort to remain open and honest about her journey with her grief, often taking to social media to share her experience with her followers as she navigates life without her husband.
On what would have been Zonfrillo’s 47th birthday, Lauren poured her heart out in a deeply moving and emotional message to mark the occasion.
Taking to Instagram on Friday, August 4, Lauren posted a moving video montage in tribute to her late husband that included a series of happy moments that the couple shared.
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“Happy birthday my love. Some moments from your birthdays together, never more special than today,” she wrote alongside the video.
“Today the kids and I are together; spending time with you, watering your grass, singing you songs, still not grasping what forever is like without you in it.
“You eclipsed our family with your chaos and fun, and we are trying to find our new true north. I’m grateful that we are finding moments of joy in our smaller family, knowing that you are forever my husband, forever their Dad/Papa, forever a part of all of us. lz”
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