celebrity

'She was cracking jokes until the end.' Dave Hughes' mum has passed away.

Dave Hughes has thanked the "thousands of people who have sent messages of support" following the death of his mother Carmel on Friday, at 83.

Speaking on radio on Tuesday morning, Hughes spoke about his "warrior" mother.

"Mum has battled cancer for over 20 years, really," he said. He recalled calling her three weeks ago where she told him she was "on the floor and couldn't get up". 

She then spent weeks in hospital before going home for the final week of her life.

"Family surrounded her, let her know how much she was loved. It was beautiful, she was such a warrior for so long," he said.

"What a woman. People who know, who've been through this - it's a tough time. Maybe there's something special about mums, but my memory just goes back to a woman who supported me from the moment I was alive."

He thanked people who had sent him condolences, including many former patients of Carmel, who worked as a nurse.

"Good on ya, mum," he ended the segment.

Hughes announced the death of his mother on Saturday, a day after telling his radio listeners she was in hospital and was unlikely to wake up.

"My mum is unwell and the family has gathered around her and we're celebrating her life... she's still with us but it won't be long.

"It's been a tough couple of weeks," he said at the time, fighting back tears.

He said Carmel had kept her sense of humour until the end.

"She is still coming out with zingers right to the very end.

"She's kept her sense of humour. One of the nurses lifted her and said 'sorry if I drop you' and she whispered 'it doesn't matter now' and that made the nurse laugh. My niece was by her bed and her foot touched the bucket under the bed and she said 'I'm the one kicking the bucket not you.'"

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He explained that his family had been going through photos reflecting on her life.

"Mum grew up in an orphanage, and there's a photo of her teaching a class with nuns looking over her... She had to leave the orphanage because she didn't want to be a teacher, so she left with nothing and went and became a nurse, and met Dad."

Hughes' father Desmond died in 2010 from cancer.

Upon his return to 2DayFM radio show Hughesy, Ed & Erin on October 10, Hughes said it was beautiful to be there for him mum's final moments.

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On Instagram, he shared a photo of his parents with his son Rafferty.

"My angel mum Carmel passed last night, at home, surrounded by the love of her family," he wrote.

"She has earnt the rest."

Dozens of people shared their support on his post.

"She was so immensely proud of not just your professional accomplishments… and there've been plenty… but the class of human being you are. The things you do for others every day. Your heart. You beautiful wife and kids. I love that line… you've earn’t the rest… yes she has," Hughes' radio co-host Erin Moran said.

"Oh Hugh. Your most brilliant, funny, wise and grounded ma. Baker of biscuits. Summer-up of situations. Farewell beloved Carmen. She has jewels in her crown," Kate Langbroek wrote.

Feature image: Instagram.

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