By Andrew Atkinson
Willie Thorne’s wife Jill Saxby has spoken following the death of snooker star husband on June 17 in Torrevieja hospital.
“We still loved each other,” Jill told me after Thorne died of sepsis, aged 66, having undergone chemotherapy treatment for leukaemia.
Thorne married Fiona Walker in 1985, and they have twin sons, Tristan and Kieran, and a daughter, Tahli.
After his marriage broke down he began dating former Miss Great Britain Jill Saxby, and married in 2003, relocating to Spain, prior to parting in November 2019.
“We texted or spoke to each other every day – particularly when he became poorly,” said Jill.
“Despite the turmoil we loved each other very much for 24 years,” said Jill, who survives him, along with his children and his brother Robert.
In March, Thorne was diagnosed with leukaemia and had chemotherapy treatment at Torrevieja hospital and also had multiple blood transfusions, suffered from gout, and had a mystery infection, that saw him return to hospital by ambulance last week, and was placed in ICU.
Thorne died from sepsis in the hospital on June 17, after doctors switched of the machine.
“It is so sad. But now he can rest in peace. Jill xxx,” she said.
A Memorial service for Willie Thorne will be held at La Zenia Ecumenical church in Orihuela Costa at 11.15am on Wednesday, June 24.
