Vinnie Jones' Tragic Marriage — The Actor and Wife Had Melanoma but Only He Survived

Soccer-player-turned-actor Vinnie Jones lost his wife to cancer years after they were diagnosed with skin cancer. Quarantining without his other half was “brutal” for Jones.

Former midfielder Vinnie Jones, also known as one of Wimbledon FC’s Crazy Gang members, met his wife Tanya Jones when they were both children in Watford, their hometown.

However, they were just friends for years and were romantically involved with other people before finally reconnecting as adults and falling in love.

TANYA AND VINNIE JONES’ KIDS

In Tanya’s case, she was married to former soccer player Steve Terry. They had a daughter together, Kaley Jay, but eventually parted ways. In 1994, Vinnie and Tanya tied the knot.

Apart from adopting Kaley, Vinnie and Tanya shared a son, Aaron Elliston. He joined the Household Cavalry’s Blues and Royals in 2008 at 17 years old; the regiment Prince Harry joined after graduating.

One year later, Aaron was a member of the Life Guards Regiment that participated in Trooping the Colour, also known as Queen Elizabeth’s Birthday Parade. About it, Vinnie said:

“I’ve done a few things in my life and he’s starting out in his and it’s probably bigger than anything that I have ever achieved so I’m very proud of him.”

CHEATING SCANDAL

In October 2012, almost 20 years after Tanya and Vinnie Jones tied the knot, their relationship went through a very challenging time. He was recorded kissing a 26-year-old Russian model named Lama Safonova.

Vinnie traveled to Moscow to film a documentary but then went to a party and allegedly consumed a lot of alcohol. The model was supposedly “coming on to him strongly,” and alcohol didn’t help him fight the temptation.

The former soccer player said he was humiliated and embarrassed for cheating on his wife but claimed he was “totally set up.” He added he loved Tanya and his two children.

However, Safonova pointed out that it was not a set-up as she didn’t know cameras were filming them. She even added they had been together for a year.

Tanya wrote a letter for her family asking them not to grieve her death.

CANCER DIAGNOSIS

Vinnie Jones and his wife worked things through and stayed together after the incident. Still, bad news made headlines in November 2013 after revealing they were both dealing with melanoma, the most threatening type of skin cancer.

It is important to point out that Tanya had an emergency heart transplant when she was only 21 years old and had been treated for cervical cancer twice.

Vinnie, who believes he got skin cancer for all the years he spent working outside, explained he found a lump under his eye. He visited a doctor, and they discovered it was cancer.

On the other hand, Tanya had some growths removed over the years, but her case was different. The couple believed it could have been a side effect of the medication she took after her heart transplant.

TANYA JONES’ DEATH

On July 6, 2019, Vinnie Jones’ wife passed away at their Los Angeles home. She was only 53 years old and died “peacefully” surrounded by her husband, daughter, and other family members.

Vinnie once revealed Tanya wrote a letter for her family asking them not to grieve her death, but it is easier said than done. The former soccer player admitted he’d been seeing a therapist after shutting himself off from loved ones.

Lockdown was also “brutal” for Vinnie as it made his grieving process exponentially harder because he had more time to think about her passing. Fortunately, some of his friends helped him get through it.

Vinnie Jones, who confessed he still talks to his wife’s spirit every morning, even urged other men to speak out if they have mental health issues.