Ronan Keating admits it's "heartbreaking" that his late mum never got to meet her grandchildren.
The Boyzone frontman has opened up about the devastating loss of Marie Keating, who died from cancer aged 51 in February 1998, when the 44-year-old singer was just 20.
The Irish heartthrob - who has Jack, 22, Missy, 20, and Ali, 16, with first wife Yvonne Connolly, and Cooper, four, and 22-month-old Coco with model wife Storm - knows his parent would have been proud of his family, but admitted he misses not having her around to hug him and reassure him "everything will be alright".
In an emotional video on the anniversary of her death, he told his Instagram followers: "24 years ago today I lost my mum. My family and I went through the most horrible situation losing our mum.
"Marie Keating, she died 24 years ago. She was 51 years of age, she died of cancer.
"She was our best friend, she was a legend, she was as cool as they come. The best mum."
The Magic Radio host continued: "She never got to meet her grandchildren, she's got so many incredible grandchildren.
"It's heartbreaking that she never got to meet them. I wonder about the conversation I'd have with my mum today, about my children, about my life.
"So many things in the 24 years that I've been through and I've done that I'd love to share with mum.
"When your mum puts her arms around you and says 'everything's going to be OK' - that feeling. I don't get that anymore and there's nothing like that feeling.
"When you're going through a tough time and your ma tells you 'everything's going to be alright'. Well then you think it's going to be alright. That's what happens."
Ronan has continued to honour Marie's legacy with the Marie Keating Foundation, which the 'No Matter What' hitmaker and his family set up following her passing to support those who have been diagnosed with any form of cancer.
