Dave Hughes pays tribute to “angel mum” after her death

Dave Hughes and his family are grieving the loss of his “angel mum” after the “great matriarch of the family” died at her Warrnambool home on Friday night.

COMEDIAN Dave Hughes has revealed his beloved mother died peacefully in her sleep on Friday night.

The TV and radio host and his family gathered around Carmel Hughes, 83, for a bedside vigil in her final moments in his Warrnambool hometown this week.

On Saturday morning Hughes posted an image of his “angel” mum to reveal she had died during the night.

“My angel mum Carmel passed last night, at home, surrounded by the love of her family. She has earnt the rest,” Hughes posted.

Hughesy was inundated with well wishes from his celebrity friends and colleagues, including Brendan Fevola, Abbie Chatfield, Jane Kennedy, Osher Gunsberg, Angela Bishop and Myf

Warhurst.

Only hours earlier Hughes had told his radio listeners that his family was rallying around his mother “to celebrate” her final days.

Fighting back tears Hughesy said his beloved mother, Carmel Hughes, was unwell and “still with us, but won’t be for long.”

“Mum’s unwell, the family gathered around her and we are celebrating her life,” Hughes said.

“She’s asleep now and probably won’t wake up again.

“She is a beautiful woman who has been a great matriarch of the family and we are all around her at the moment.”

The Masked Singer judge became emotional when telling his 2DAY FM’s Hughesy, Ed & Erin radio co-hosts on Friday his mother was still cracking gags in her final moments.

Dave Hughes says his mum, Carmel, has kept cracking gags right to the end. Picture: Supplied

“She is still coming out with zingers right to the very end,” he laughed, as his voice faltered.

“She’s kept her sense of humour. One of the nurses lifted her and said “sorry if I drop you” and she whispered “it doesn’t matter now” and that made the nurse laugh. My niece was by her bed and her foot touched the bucket under the bed and she said ‘I’m the one kicking the bucket not you’.”

Hughesy said his mother Carmel was raised by nuns in an orphanage.

“She left the orphanage with nothing went on to become a nurse and met Dad.

“The memories of all the sacrifice and all the good times, she has done so well in her life. Always been stoic and never complained.”

Hughesy’s lost his father Desmond, known as Des, in November 2010 to cancer.

Shortly before he passed away, the TV host told his dad, who was also suffering from dementia, that he loved him and appreciated everything he had done for the family.

“You don’t tell people you love them because it’s embarrassing to say it. Or tell people you value what they did for you. So I did that very late,’” he confessed at the time.

“I think he heard me.”