Y&R’s Jess Walton Asks for Prayers for Her Husband as His Cancer Has Returned
Social media is a great platform for celebrities to share news about their personal lives with their fans: anniversaries, births, new projects, new pets… even just a good day. But among those celebratory posts is the occasional update asking for prayers and good thoughts when life isn’t going so well. Such was the case when THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS star Jess Walton (Jill) took to her social media pages in late May to let her followers know that her husband’s cancer had returned.
Walton’s heartfelt post included a family photo — she and hubby John James seated with their children, Allison and Cole — as she detailed the painful situation they are currently dealing with. “To all our much-loved friends,” the Y&R fan favorite wrote. “My remarkable husband John and I have led a blessed life for 40 years. Unfortunately, though, his cancer has returned, and our family is going through a very painful time.”
An expert in grief counseling and a successful author, James is the founder of The Grief Recovery Institute, which trains grief recovery specialists around the world. Back in 2018, Walton revealed to her followers on Facebook that he’d had a malignant tumor in his neck for a year. Following a successful surgery at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles to remove the mass, the elated actress shared in her post, James was cancer-free. However, that status has sadly now changed.
“John has loved, protected, and supported me, our family, and our country all these years and he has constantly helped those around him, both at home and all over the world,” Walton wrote. “Please help us support him by sending him your love, your thoughts, and your prayers. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
After Walton shared the sad news, many of her castmates quickly replied. “Sending lots of prayers and so much love!” wrote Lauralee Bell (Christine). “Love you.” Added Eileen Davidson, “Holding you all in my heart.”
Despite the sad news, however, there was a bright spot for the James family this weekend: Allison’s wedding! Cole, the Institute’s executive director, shared the happy news on the official Grief Recovery Method’s Instagram page. “Yesterday was a wonderful day for our family because my sister got married to an amazing man, we were with family, and our dad got to walk her down the aisle!” he wrote. “What a special day.”
Please join us in sending good thoughts to the entire James family during this difficult time.
