Elizabeth Hurley on single motherhood and the death of her ‘great loves’ Steve Bing and Shane Warne

Elizabeth Hurley opens up about grieving and raising her son, Damian, now 20, as a single father.

the Austin Powers Najm, 57, spoke to times This week is about being a single mom. Although Hurley shares a son with the late film financier and screenwriter Steve Bing, he didn’t help raise Damian. Damian has reportedly never met his biological father, who died by suicide in 2020.

“As a single mom, it’s been my life’s mission to be the best dad I can,” Hurley explained. times. “I’d always be there for Damien, waking him up in the morning and last thing at night. I’d never go away for a night unless my mom or sister was there to hold the fort. I had babysitting, but I still never left him.”

Hurley added that Damien has also received love from the men she has dated, including her “wonderful stepfather” Arun Nayar and cricketer Shane Warne, who died earlier this year. the Christmas in the Caribbean The actress said of Warren, “Damien loved him and had a great relationship with his three kids in those formative years.”

The supermodel admitted that the deaths of both Bing and Warne were particularly difficult for her and Damian.

“Of the four greatest loves of my life two died — I always say to the other two, you better have your back. But yeah, it was very hard and still is very difficult. Losing Shane was terrible. It took a long time to sink in,” she noted. “I honestly kept thinking he would call and it would turn out that this is a big joke from the Aussie.”

She shared that “losing Stephen was something else entirely.”

“We were apart for a long time but eventually made up, and a bright and different future seemed as if it was opening up, but of course it didn’t,” Hurley said. “For Damian, his death was a mental challenge because he didn’t know him as a person. Aaron was his father figure. Aaron still calls him son and Damian calls him dad; Shane was a more fun uncle figure. But yeah, all of that stuff, along with COVID and the lockdown — This was a huge amount for the young man to handle.”

Story continues

Damien spoke on Instagram about the deaths of both Bing and Warne. Marking the one year anniversary of Bing’s death in June 2021, Damian wrote alongside a photo of a purple sunset, “A year ago today my mother and I received some devastating news. I didn’t quite realize at the time how much this affected me… We would all like Showing ‘ideal’ versions of our lives – For me, the idea of ​​discussing something as personal as grief is terrifying… Sometimes it’s necessary. The past year has been bloody rough – for everyone on the planet – and I think acknowledging this is vital. Not It is weak to struggle. In fact, to reach the other side is very powerful.”

In March 2022, he shared a throwback photo of himself and Warren in honor of the late athlete.

“I’m still trying to work my way around this,” Damien captioned the post. “SW was a father figure to me for most of my formative years and he truly was one of the best men I have ever known. My heart is broken. Thinking of and sending love to all of the SW family.”

In an October interview with Yahoo Life, Hurley — who is an advocate for breast cancer research — opened up about her desire to stay healthy so she could stay in her son’s life.

“[My son] He plays in it a lot. I mean, I’m a single mom with one kid, and you know, I don’t want to leave him, she said at the time. “We all want women to stop dying of breast cancer for the sake of the human race and for ourselves, and for our families. Of course we do. For our friends and loved ones, we don’t want anyone to die of breast cancer anymore.”

Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know Who is the behind the Hoo With the Yahoo Life newsletter. Register here.