Tahnee Sims has taken to social media to share a heartfelt tribute to her late boyfriend, Johnny Ruffo, marking twelve months since his passing.
“One year on without you… It feels like just yesterday & a lifetime ago all at once,” she wrote alongside a gallery of photos.
“There are so many things I wish I could say to you, so many moments I have wanted to share with you, so many times i’ve reached for my phone to call you, but the main thing I would want you to know, Is that I am okay.”
“Grief is incredibly heavy but it’s the price we pay for love & I’m so grateful for all of the years we got to share together & the lifetime of love & adventure we packed in,” she continued. “Forever wouldn’t have been long enough with you…”
The 30-year-old’s post comes one year after Ruffo sadly lost his life after a lengthy battle with brain cancer.
“As two people who were both fiercely independent, focused on our own careers, and a bit in denial that we were clearly meant for each other – we used to joke that we should have met later in life, but on August 7, 2017, four years after we first met, it all became very clear why the universe had brought us together so young. There wasn’t going to be a ‘later life’ for John,” Sims delivered in her heartfelt eulogy.
“For six and a half years, I watched him battle through a hideous cancer diagnosis, be delivered setback after setback, and still choose to act with courage and gratitude right until the very end.”
Ruffo, a former contestant on The X Factor Australia, faced a life-altering diagnosis in 2017. The news sent shockwaves not just through his life but across the entertainment industry, which watched closely as he courageously navigated treatment.
Amid this turbulent journey, Sims emerged not only as his partner but as his rock. In interviews, Ruffo was continually been vocal about how her unwavering support played a crucial role in his recovery, helping him through the darkest days.
“She’s been incredible. I can’t fault her. She’s been there for me every step of the way from literally the day I was diagnosed to now,” Ruffo told Daily Mail Australia in 2018.
“She’s been absolutely amazing. She’s been my rock so it’s been really good.”
Tragically, Ruffo passed away in November 2023, leaving behind a legacy of talent and inspiration. His journey, marked by courage, resonated with many friends, fans, and followers – showcasing how love can uplift even in the face of life’s most daunting challenges.
Reflecting on their relationship, Sims shared at his memorial, “The way he loved, he lit up when he performed, the way he inspired me to work hard and to never give up, the way he was always helping others, the way he chose to tackle his cancer battle head on and that big, cheeky grin that could brighten even the darkest days. Mostly, I will miss the way he always managed to make me laugh.”
“I know that not everyone gets to experience that kind of love, which is why I will always be forever grateful for the happily ever after I got to have with John – albeit for only 10 years.”
Following Ruffo’s passing, Sims has kept largely out of the spotlight, however, fans and friends of the couple have taken to social media in the year following his death to share their condolences and support for Sims.
Sharing a selection of photos out with friends in February 2024, Ruffo’s former Home and Away star Lynne McGranger commented, “So good to see you smiling again.”
“Loving seeing these happy moments. Am sure there are still lots of hard ones too, but focus on the positive and the future,” added another fan.
“Johnny would be proud you’re living your life beautiful lady,” wrote one follower in September 2024.
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