Mel SchillingThe Married at First Sight romance expert has died aged 54, just weeks after she revealed her cancer was incurable by doctors.
Schilling, who was recognized for providing relationship coaching on the hit Channel 4 reality dating series, died on Tuesday “surrounded by love”, according to her family.
Early March, Australia The TV personality revealed her cancer had spread to the left side of her brain and her medical team had “no further” treatment options.
Mel Schilling confirms her death, expresses love
In a statement shared on Instagram, her husband said: “Melanie Jean Brisbane-Schilling passed away peacefully today surrounded by love.
“In her final moments, when I thought the cancer had taken away her ability to speak, she pulled me closer and whispered a message to me. Tracy McGrady And the me that will sustain me throughout my life.
“This is a woman who, after two years of chemotherapy, when she could barely lift her head off the pillow, never complained, never stopped showing courage, grace, compassion and empathy, and never missed a day of filming.
“To most of you, she is Mel Schilling – the Mafs matriarch and reality TV queen. To Maddie and I, she is our little Mercy: an incredible mom, role model and soul mate.”
Mel Schilling’s husband and daughter: All about Gareth Brisbane and Madison
Mel Schilling was born in 1972 in Melbourne, Australia. She built a career as a relationship psychologist and dating coach over three decades, but didn’t become a reality TV star and mother until she was 42.
Her husband Gareth Brisbane, on the other hand, is from Whitehead, Northern Ireland and has a PhD in computer security.
Gareth and Mel linked up in 2011 through dating platform eHarmony. They maintained a long-distance relationship for six weeks, communicating primarily via email and text messages.
The couple tied the knot on December 24, 2020, and Mel described their wedding day as very emotional.
“I cried a little bit that day. That’s what it’s all about,” she said, according to The Sun.
“I was a late bloomer and I didn’t meet my husband until I was almost 40 and then we had our daughter Madison… I was almost 42, so finally saying ‘I do’ was an emotional moment. It was very special.”
The couple have one child together, their daughter Madison – affectionately known as Maddie – who was born via in vitro fertilization in 2014.
In a tribute following Mel’s death, Gareth described Mel as “an incredible mum, role model and soul mate”.
