‘You feel like you’re drowning and can’t get out from under it’
Ed Sheeran broke down after his wife admitted she feared she would die after being diagnosed with cancer, writes Steve Hopkins.
Doctors discovered Cherry Seaborn had a tumour in her arm in February last year. At the time, the 30-year-old was pregnant with the couple’s second child, Jupiter.
The couple open up about the heartbreaking start to 2022 in Sheeran’s Disney+ documentary.
The “horrible” start to the year included Cherry’s cancer fight, the death of Ed’s best mate, Jamal Edwards, and a court case over his song, Shape Of You. The musician was accused of plagiarism but won. He is currently before the court over his song, Thinking Out Loud.
Cherry recalled the moment she was diagnosed, saying the news was a “massive shock”, MailOnline reports. And it made her reflect on her mortality:
“We’re all human. I was saying to Ed I would have never agreed to do anything like this but it made me think, this whole year
“If I die, what’s people’s perception of me? What do you leave behind?”
[caption id="attachment_394063" align="alignnone" width="1200"]A day after discovering Cherry Seaborn could have treatment after the birth of their daughter, Ed’s best friend Jamal died. (credit: Disney+)[/caption]
'It was the most incredible news' - Cherry Seaborn
After hearing the news, Cherry Seaborn immediately called Ed Sheeran, telling him to cancel all of his plans. Then they waited a month for the full report.
Cherry was six months pregnant and was told no treatment plans would work because of her pregnancy.
However, further tests revealed the tumour was less severe than originally thought.
“It was the most incredible news,” Cherry said, recalling how she 'nearly threw up' when told she could wait until she’d given birth to get the tumour out.
The relief was soon overshadowed, with Jamal’s death of cardiac arrest the very next day.
The 31-year-old had helped launch Ed through his YouTube channel SBTV, and even gave him a place to sleep when he was a teenager.
Ed recalls in the doc: “I was hit by heavy stuff one after the other.”
“The moment you find out that the worst thing in the world has happened to someone you truly love with all your heart, you feel like you’re drowning and can’t get out from under it.
‘I remember being sat in this specialists waiting room thinking the worst was going to happen. I’m worried about Cherry.”
Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn went on to welcome Jupiter and announced her arrival in May.
Earlier this month, Ed revealed the opening track to his forthcoming album, Subtract, encapsulates his feelings towards depression as he sings, “The more that I love, the less that I feel.”
Ed, whose album is released on 5 May, has dedicated his song, Boat, to the struggle he’s faced in recent years against grief, illness, and addiction.
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A day after discovering Cherry Seaborn could have treatment after the birth of their daughter, Ed’s best friend Jamal died. (credit: Disney+)[/caption]
