- Rio Ferdinand said tearful goodbye to wife Rebecca at funeral on Tuesday
- Sir Alex Ferguson and Robin van Persie among those who paid respects
- Her family said she is 'much missed' and will 'live on' in all their hearts
- She 'slipped away' after short battle with breast cancer earlier this month
Sir Alex Ferguson was joined by a string of Manchester United stars at the funeral of Rio Ferdinand's 'soulmate' wife Rebecca.
The former England captain laid his wife and mother-of-his three children to rest in an intimate ceremony in Bromley on Tuesday.
She
'slipped away' following a short battle with breast cancer earlier this
month but her family said she will 'live on' in their hearts, memories
and through her children.
They
said the former fitness trainer, 34, is 'much missed' and her loved
ones are 'heartened by the fact that she is no longer in pain'.
Rio Ferdinand said a tearful goodbye to his 'soulmate' wife Rebecca at an intimate funeral in Bromley
Sir
Alex, Ferdinand's former United boss, attended the wake with some of
the team's current players, including Robin van Persie, according to The Sun
Former players Edwin van der Sar, Nemanja Vidic and Darren Fletcher also attended the private ceremony.
Ferdinand's
sister Sian showed her support at the funeral and tweeted: 'Family is
everything.. Duno what I'd do without my mad lot.'
She
had previously thanked friends and fans for their condolences, saying
the support of the footballing community 'hadn't got unnoticed'.
She
'slipped away' following a short battle with breast cancer earlier this
mother but her family said she will 'live on' in their hearts
The
Queens Park Rangers defender, 36, made the announcement that his wife
had tragically passed away on May 2 via his club's official website.
He
said: 'My soul mate slipped away last night. Rebecca, my wonderful
wife, passed away peacefully after a short battle with cancer at the
Royal Marsden Hospital in London.
'She
was a fantastic loving mother to our three beautiful children. She will
be missed as a wife, sister, aunt, daughter and granddaughter. She will
live on in our memory, as a guide and inspiration.
Ferdinand's sister Sian showed her support at the funeral and had previously thanked friends and fans for their condolences
'Myself,
my parents Janice and Julian, along with Rebecca's parents Lesley and
Stephen, would like to thank our families, friends and my club
colleagues who have rallied around in these desperate days, weeks and
months.
'I
would also like to express my gratitude for the dedication and
expertise of the staff led by Professors Johnstone and Clarke at the
Royal Marsden.
'Their valiant efforts to prolong Rebecca's all-too-short life will not be forgotten.
'Our grief, as a family, is total. We would appreciate being allowed to mourn privately.'
Rebecca had been diagnosed with breast cancer last year and appeared to be clear of the disease.
But a scan earlier this year revealed the breast cancer had returned and spread to her bones.
David Beckham was among thousands of people who sent their condolences to Ferdinand after the shock announcement.
Beckham,
who played alongside Ferdinand for Manchester United and England, said
his and his wife Victoria's thoughts were with the Queens Park Rangers
defender's family.
Writing
on his Facebook page earlier today, former England captain Beckham
said: 'Victoria & I are very sad to about the passing of Rebecca
Ferdinand.
'Our thoughts are with Rio, their children and Rebecca's family at this time.'
Rebecca is the mother of the couple's three children, Lorenz, nine, Tate, six, and four-year-old Tia.
Originally
from Essex, she met Ferdinand while he was at West Ham United in the
late 1990s. The couple married in the Caribbean in 2009.
Ms
Ellison's private struggle against the illness was in keeping with the
low profile she maintained throughout her husband's career, which has
been marred by claims of off-field excesses, affairs, and an eight-month
ban in 2003 for missing a drugs test.
Ferdinand's sister tweeted on the day of funeral: 'Family is everything.. Duno what I'd do without my mad lot'
Sir Alex Ferguson was joined by a string of Manchester United stars at the intimate funeral in Kent
Manchester United striker Robin van Persie (left) and former captain Edwin van der Sar (right) attended
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