Son’s Father’s Day message of support to ‘hero’ John Farnham

John Farnham’s son has written a touching message of support for his “hero” dad, who is recovering in intensive care after cancer surgery.

John Farnham’s son, Rob, said the beloved singer is his “hero” in an inspirational message for his father recovering from cancer surgery.

“You’re my hero,” Rob wrote on Facebook. “You got this. Love you.”

The message, posted on Father’s Day, ran alongside a throwback picture of a young Rob at the microphone, with a besotted John holding his son close.

Farnham is recovering in intensive care after having a cancerous tumour removed from his mouth during a 12-hour surgery on August 23.

The Whispering Jack star had part of his jaw removed during the procedure.

In a Facebook post last week, Farnham’s son, Rob, said his father was “strong” and would “smash” his road to recovery.

“It’s been a tough couple of weeks,” Rob, a singer-songwriter and frontman of rock band Rival Fire said. “We are very proud of Dad, he is strong and will smash this.

A young John Farnham with his son Robert. Picture: Facebook

“Thank you to everyone who has shown support to Dad, (brother) James, Mum and I. Dad and the family are feeling the love from everyone.”

Farnham’s family, and close circle, including Gaynor Wheatley, wife of John’s best friend and longtime manager, the late Glenn Wheatley, are positive about his recovery.

“He’s sitting up, he’s communicating,” Gaynor said in a radio interview last week.

“He can’t speak yet, he can’t talk, because he’s got quite a bit of surgery around his chin. He’s clearly communicating and bright.”

Gaynor said Farnham was “absolutely fine” when she saw him and his wife, Jill, in Port Douglas a few weeks ago.

“He was not sick,” she said.

The Farnham family, clockwise from bottom left, Rob, Jill, James and John. Picture: Supplied

It was only when Jill noticed John grimacing in pain from a mouth ulcer that she insisted he be checked by a doctor.

“He was just biting it on his teeth,” Gaynor said.

“Then Jill said, ‘What’s that in your mouth?’ She took him straight to the doctor. He would have left it.”

Gaynor also told the Herald Sun Glenn would have tried to inspire Farnham’s recovery comeback concert at the biggest room in town.

“If Glenn was here, he would have a date at the MCG pencilled in,” she said.

Scheduling shows for his often reticent friend was a classic Glenn Wheatley move. Build the itinerary, and Farnham would come – eventually.

“He inspires my need to go on,” Farnham said in 2013. “I like the way Wheatley weans me around. Suddenly, I’m out there. He is my work ethic.”

Sadly, Glenn Wheatley died from Covid complications in February at the age of 74.