Welsh television presenter Gethin Jones has paid a moving tribute to his father, Goronwy Jones, who passed away on Monday, 11 August, expressing both his grief and gratitude for the NHS staff who cared for him during his illness.
++ Scientists amazed by ancient method that could silence snoring
In a heartfelt post shared on Instagram, the Morning Live host revealed that his father had been “poorly for a while” but retained his “importance of faith” and “love for classical music” until the very end. Gethin described how they shared one final evening together, singing Welsh hymns, with his father’s grandsons saying their goodbyes over the phone.
Quoting the well-known line from Max Boyce, “Wales defeated England…”, Gethin wrote:
“Hymns and Arias with dad last night, before he left us this morning. The most perfect, peaceful end. Welsh hymns playing, and the grandsons on speaker phone saying goodbye.
Dad was poorly for a while, he put up a good fight, incredible really. It was so nice to see his dry humour, the importance of faith and his love for classical music shine through at the end.”
Gethin also spoke warmly of his father’s career in education, noting that he had been a teacher for 40 years and a headteacher for 28, leaving a lasting legacy in the community. “Every day I’ve been at the Heath Hospital in Cardiff, someone would stop me and ask me about dad. He probably taught them at some point. He made a big impact on education in these parts over a long period of time. He was strict and direct, always reasonable.”
++ Trump urges rapid removal of homeless from US capital
He expressed special thanks to NHS staff, including his sister, who is both a nurse and, in this instance, a devoted daughter. “She’s just been amazing, didn’t miss a beat… finding the humour when needed is so important isn’t it, along with the unconditional support.”
The tribute concluded with the Welsh phrase Amynedd yw amod llwyddo – “patience is the key to success” – a motto Gethin has previously described as central to his personal philosophy.
