Tom Hanks married his second wife, actress, singer and producer Rita Wilson, in 1988.
As a newlywed, he opened up to Oprah Winfrey on what he thought of his second marriage.
"Not that marriage doesn't come close to being hell in a handbasket sometimes. But we both
know that no matter what, we'll be with each other - and we'll get through it."
Their worst case of "no matter what" struck in 2015, when Wilson was diagnosed with breast
cancer. Today, Wilson can joke about the "dying wishes"
she made four years ago. But wait until you hear the powerful and sad lyrics to her song
about being a cancer survivor. Subscribe to RumourJuice YouTube channel for more insider
info from the showbiz world, and let's find out how the Hollywood's most stable and friendly
couple got through their terrifying ordeal. Rita Wilson's story could have had a grim
ending. During one of the routine health check-ups, she tested negative for breast cancer. But
a friend who had had breast cancer insisted that she get a second opinion. The second
and third pathologists Wilson consulted confirmed she indeed had cancer.
Wilson chose to go public about her experience to educate others.
"A second opinion is critical to your health," she said. "You have nothing to lose if both
opinions match up for the good, and everything to gain if something that was missed is found,
which does happen." Supported by her family and friends, Wilson
underwent a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction for breast cancer. Most importantly, her husband
Tom Hanks was by her side at all times. The 63-year-old actress has recently recalled
how she had the most unimaginable discussion with Hanks, all the while feeling scared,
anxious, and overwhelmed with thoughts about her own mortality.
"So I had a serious discussion with my husband that if anything happens, I wanted him to
be super sad for a very long time," she wrote on Instagram. But then, she added, she'd also
like a party. A celebration. That very conversation inspired a song called
Throw Me a Party on Wilson's 2019 music album, Halfway to Home.
The lyrics go: "So when I'm gone, throw me a party / You
should dance as if I was there / Don't be sad or be brokenhearted / Just send your voices
up in the air". Tom Hanks was there for his beloved wife during
her illness and recuperation. Certainly, in 2017, he was also the one to announce to the
press that Wilson is now "100% cancer free". "It's like when there's a big rainstorm outside,
you bust out the hot cocoa and make sure everyone is comfortable," he commented.
And he wasn't speaking metaphorically when he mentioned cocoa. Rita Wilson herself said
that this was literally her husband who helped her keep her spirits up in those darker times.
"[Tom and I] watched movies, we watched great documentaries, we ate good food and we did
our best to maintain our spirit and be thankful." When Wilson was diagnosed with cancer, she
and Wilson had been married for 27 years. And still, she was unsure of how he would
react to the news. "You never know how your spouse is going to
react in a situation like this," Wilson said in an interview. "I was so amazed, so blown
away by the care my husband gave me. It was such a normal, intimate time."
The experience has brought them even closer together.
Hanks, meanwhile, stressed the utmost importance of having a support system to get one through
the rough waves. "No one should go through this alone. That
not only goes for the person who is carrying it and in bed for a very long time, but there's
also the people who love them," Hanks explained. Tom has also been praising his darling wife
for her courage. "She took on not only the crisis, but also
the issues of women's cancers in a way that I thought was extremely brave and beautiful."
The couple are now active supporters of various cancer charities.
In his latest movie, Tom Hanks plays the kindest, most wholesome and beloved children's TV host
Fred Rogers. This description - kind, wholesome, beloved - perfectly fits Hanks himself. Try
as you might, you won't find a single story on the Internet where the name Tom Hanks appears
alongside the word "scandal" or "controversy". Go on, we'll wait.
But that's not to say Rita's cancer was the only storm the couple has been through. The
Hanks household is a large one: there's Tom and Rita; Tom's kids from his first marriage,
Colin and Elizabeth; Tom's kids with Rita, Chet and Truman; and the youngest Hanks generation,
the three granddaughters. Both Colin and Chet Hanks have ventured in showbiz. However, while
Colin is famous for his roles in movies and TV shows, Chet used to frequently make headlines
after his alcohol- and drug-fueled "adventures". Luckily, it seems the 28-year-old has put
his "edgy" past behind him. Chet credited his baby daughter for "saving his life".
He also thanked his parents for their support. "I love my parents so, so much," he said in
a candid interview. "They did a really, really good job raising me. Good dad, good mom, period.
Great dad, great mom. I'm extremely blessed just to have great parents."
Let's hope there will be no bad news for the Hanks' in the foreseeable future!