Chris Rea’s poignant final social media post has hinted that he knew he was dying.
The singer died on 22 December after a short illness.
The day before he died, he posted a photo of a car on a snowy motorway and a road sign with the caption, “Driving home for Christmas with a thousand memories.”
He added, “Top to toe in tailbacks. If it’s a white Christmas, let’s hope the journey’s a smooth one.”
The caption was referring to his hit song, Driving Home for Christmas.
The 74-year-old’s family announced his death in a statement.
“It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris,” a spokesperson said on behalf of his wife and two daughters. “He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today following a short illness, surrounded by his family.”
Chris was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when he was 33, which led to him having his pancreas removed and becoming diabetic. He had a stroke in 2016.
The singer is survived by his wife of 57 years, Joan, and their daughters, Josephine and Julia.
Chris had previously spoken about the inspiration for his hit Christmas song.
“I first wrote it back in the mid-Eighties about the simple joy of getting back to the people you love, and that spirit fits perfectly with Christmas,” he said. “It’s a wonderful thing to see Driving Home for Christmas still connecting with people all these years later.”
