Mel Schilling has a 10-year-old daughter called Maddie. Picture: Instagram/@mel_schilling1
Married At First Sight star Mel Schilling used her last words on earth to share a heartfelt message with her family that will ‘sustain them forever’.

Married At First Sight star Mel Schilling’s heartbroken husband has revealed that she used her ‘last remaining strength’ to share a final message with their young daughter before passing away.

The beloved psychologist died earlier this week aged 54 following a gruelling battle with colon cancer, with her partner of ten years Gareth Brisbane announcing the sad news on Instagram yesterday morning.

In the days running up to her tragic death, the dad-of-one revealed that Mel’s last thoughts turned to her immediate family, specifially the couple’s 10-year-old girl Maddie.

He explained that the Australian TV personality somehow summoned up the strength to deliver some poignant words to him and their only child that will thankfully ‘sustain him forever’

Gareth said Mel used her ‘last remaining strength’ to share a message with him and Maddie. Picture: Instagram/@mel_schilling1

Mel’s husband of six years Gareth, explained: “In her final moments, when I thought cancer had taken away her ability to speak, she ushered me closer and whispered a message for Maddie and me that will sustain me for the rest of my life.

“It took all of her remaining strength, and that gesture summed up our wee Melsie perfectly. Even then, her only thought was for Maddie and me.”

He didn’t go into detail about the moving message Mel shared with the pair, but instead paid tribute to the “incredible mum, role model, and soulmate”.

Before passing away, Mel described her beloved husband as her ‘rock’ amid the relentless treatment.

Following her initial diagnosis in 2023, she underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy but the cancer sadly spread to her lungs and brain.

The MAFS star welcomed her daughter through IVF when she was 42-years-old. Picture: Instagram/@mel_schilling1

Speaking of how the family-of-three tackled the harsh reality of the deadly disease, she told OK!: “It really does feel like a team, I can open up and be honest about how I’m feeling and we make adjustments at home to match that.

“We have a non-traditional relationship, I guess, as I’m the one who goes out to work and he does the majority of parenting at home. It works well for us.”

The couple first met back in 2011, shortly before the MAFS star turned 40, and connected through dating app eHarmony.

Gareth, who is Northern Irish, was living in Adelaide, Australia, while Mel was based in Melbourne, also on the south coast.

The TV star’s final thoughts were of her little girl. Picture: Instagram/@mel_schilling1

Recalling their chemistry-filled meeting when she was 39-years-old, Mel told OK!: “I was single for my entire thirties. I wasn’t interested in anyone.

“I was busy travelling the world, working overseas, I was all about building my business and just living a great life.

“And so we were both nearly 40 when we met, and he just turned my world upside down. I was not expecting that! We met on eHarmony.

“We did long distance for six weeks, which was really pivotal in the success of our relationship, because we didn’t physically meet for those six weeks, but we were communicating every day.”

She described her partner of 10 years as her ‘rock’ amid chemotherapy. Picture: Instagram/@mel_schilling1

When they finally met in real life, the two fell for each other hard and fast, and after a ‘commitment ceremony’ in 2018, Gareth and Mel officially tied the knot two years later in 2020.

They decided they wanted to start a family fairly quickly, although the TV therapist felt unsure about pregnancy due to a “very, very tough experience” with miscarriage.

They later conceived through IVF, with Mel explaining: “We went down the IVF path, which was very successful for us.

“Maddie was one of the little eggs that was frozen for six weeks, then they popped her inside of me and boom, here she is. I had her when I was 42.”