‘Coming to terms with the unfathomable’: Rebecca Gibney issues plea as mum dies
Days after the former Packed to the Rafters star said she was ‘utterly heartbroken’, there’s one thing she wants you to do.
The day came just four weeks after former Packed to the Rafters star Rebecca Gibney urged her fans to keep her beloved mother Shirley in their “thoughts and prayers” as she “climbed another mountain” in hospital: On June 21 2026 the woman known as “Mama Shirl” passed away aged 91.
“We are utterly heartbroken at the loss of our beautiful mother Shirley Gibney,” Rebecca, 61, shared in an emotional Instagram message six days later.
“This week has been about coming to terms with an unfathomable loss but I know mum would want to thank everyone for the love, compassion and kindness they have shown her through the years.
“And that’s because Mum represented everything that is good in the world,” the star continued. “She was forgiving, and kind, generous to a fault, and always put others before herself.”
Over the years, Rebecca has spoken emotionally about the 15 years of beatings her mother endured at the hands of her husband, and Rebecca’s father, Austin, before he died of a heart attack in 1982 aged 51.
Despite all she endured, Rebecca said Shirley had taught her to “always be kind”, to “focus on others, be of service, and to be grateful for what I have”.
“Mum overcame so much in her life because she had a deep faith that was unbreakable,” Rebecca shared in her tribute. “She believed that life would always get better – no matter what you are going through. You just have to trust in the knowledge that light will always follow the dark, that good will prevail and love is really all that matters.”
As such, the Millionaire Hot Seat host had a plea to followers.
“So to honour Shirley, please keep your face toward the light, show forgiveness and compassion. Love one another,” she wrote. “And wherever possible do something to brighten someone else’s day.
“Be Kind. I’m not sure how I will navigate life without my Mum but I am so grateful I was blessed to have her as my angel on earth for so long. And I will miss her beyond words.”
In a follow-up post on June 29, Rebecca shared a poignant video of herself dancing with her mum.
“Because I know Mum would want people to remember her with a smile – this is part of the video tribute we played at her private family service last Friday,” the star shared, explaining that in lieu of flowers her niece, and Shirley’s granddaughter, Sarah Wiseman had created a Facebook page #flowersforshirley, with a view to encouraging people to buy a bunch of flowers and gift them to a stranger as a way to brighten someone’s day in honour of her mum.
Rebecca described the mission as “a fitting tribute to an exceptional woman”, while Sarah shared more about the inspiration behind the idea on her own Instagram page.
“Dear friends, Thank you all so much for your kind messages of love and support after Nana’s passing,” Sarah wrote. “As many of you know, Nana had a heart that was full of kindness, grace and generosity. She would never have wanted her story to end with sadness alone, but with love continuing to grow.
“In her honour, I’ve created a Facebook page called “Flowers for Shirley.” The idea is simple: whenever you think of nana, we’d love to encourage you to find a way to brighten someone’s day.
“Whether that be buying a bunch of supermarket flowers and giving them to a friend, family member or even a stranger. Or even just something as simple as an encouraging text, a handwritten note or a handmade gift.
“Anything that will help to carry on nana’s legacy of kindness. Then you can come and post your experiences here and we can enjoy these stories of kindness together.”
