Louis Tomlinson and mother Johanna Deakin in the last public photo they took together before her death. Photo/Instagram
Louis Tomlinson's mother Johannah Deakin has died after a battle with leukaemia at the age of 43, the Daily Mail reports.
The midwife passed away in the early hours of Wednesday, it was confirmed in a statement to MailOnline on Friday.
As well as One Direction star Louis, 24, she leaves behind six other children, Lottie, 18, Felicite, 16, twins Daisy and Phoebe, both 12, and twins Ernest and Doris, both aged two, who she gave birth to prematurely in 2014. She was also grandmother to Louis' ten-month-old son Freddie.
The statement reads: "It is with immeasurable sadness that Johannah Deakin's family said goodbye to Johannah in the early hours of Wednesday 7th December 2016.
"Earlier this year Johannah was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of leukaemia that required immediate and continuous treatment. We respectfully request that the family are given time and space to grieve in private."
Johannah's husband Dan Deakin added: 'Johannah was first and foremost a truly amazing mother to seven children - Louis (24), Lottie (18), Félicité (16), and two sets of twins, Phoebe and Daisy (12) and Ernest and Doris (2) - whose individual talents and success are testament to the principles and beliefs she instilled in them. She was also an incredibly proud grandmother to Freddie.
"Incredibly selfless, she would always look to put other people before herself. She desired nothing more than for everyone around her to be happy and loving. She worked tirelessly on numerous charity campaigns, creating memories for many individuals and their families. It wasn't uncommon for Johannah to hear through the media of an individual in need of assistance, and she would immediately make it her objective to get that person what they often desperately needed, and rarely without success.
"These are the things that made Johannah happy and content in life, and all of which for me made her simply the perfect wife and best friend to face each day with.
"I thoroughly loved walking through life with her, and though five years was far too short a time, during that time we had so many lifetimes worth of happiness, adventures, and memories."
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Mrs Johannah Deakin (@mrsjohannahdeakin) on
Two weeks ago Louis, who lives in Los Angeles to be near to his son Freddie, shared an Instagram photo with his mother, alongside the caption:
"My mother looking gorgeous before the Brits earlier this year. I love you and miss you so much!"
Five weeks ago, in what was her last Instagram post, Johannah shared a shot of her One Direction singer son alongside the simple caption: "My perfect boy."
Her Instagram profile reads: "Mummy to 7 stars & 1 little grand star."
In 2013, Johannah announced her engagement to Dr Dan Deakin and that the couple were expecting twins. Their wedding in July 2014 saw her son as best man, while Louis' band mates, Harry Styles, Liam Payne and Niall Horan all attended.
Born Johannah Poulston on March 25 1973, she grew up in Doncaster in South Yorkshire. She worked as a midwife and a TV assistant during her career.
Johannah gave birth to Louis when she was 18, but split from his biological father Troy Austin, in 1997 when he was aged just five. She then had four children with Mark Tomlinson, who Louis considers his real father, - Charlotte, Felicity and twins Phoebe and Daisy. Johannah and Deakin had twins Ernest and Doris on February 10 2014.
Heartbroken for you @Louis_Tomlinson. Your mum Jay was an incredible person. Sending you all my love
— Simon Cowell (@SimonCowell) December 9, 2016
Devoted to her family, Johannah told Sugarscape that she couldn't have been more proud of her eldest child, Louis.
Calling him "a really nice lovely brother", she went on to say that the 1D star always offered to pay for his sister's trips at school.
"He always asks me, 'Tell me what trips they've got, where do they want to go? Let me use my money to pay for their trips'," Johannah said.
"He's always been like that. he's not a materialistic person himself, but he likes to give people things. He spoils me and the girls and he's happiest doing that."
@Louis_Tomlinson love you bro! All of your family is in my prayers. proud of your strength and know your mum is too x
— zayn (@zaynmalik) December 9, 2016
Louis also spoke about their close relationship, revealing that when his mother split from her second husband in 2011 just as his career with One Direction was taking off, she would send him up to seven texts a day.
Admitting he was worried for his mum, who remained in the family's hometown of Doncaster, while he was travelling the world, Louis said: "It must be so much harder for her because I am living this fantastic life, whereas she's still in that old life but without me. She always says that I'm like one of her best friends so it must be really difficult for her to not get upset and not miss me so much, I'm so far away."
In January Sarah Hext revealed how Johannah and Louis supported her family when her nine-year-old son died from a rare form of cancer.
Ms Hext told the Huffington Post that the 1D star and his mother changed her son's life before his death in November 2015, after Sarah and Johannah met at a charity event in 2014. Explaining that Louis and his mother created 'precious memories' with the youngster and his twin brother Spencer, who were both born with Down's Syndrome, Ms Hext revealed that the family attended events as Louis' guests and were treated to a trip to Disneyland.
"Louis and Johannah have given us precious memories with Harvey and all of our children and that is priceless, we have so many beautiful photos of Harvey to look back on in some amazing places," Sarah told the publication.
"People don't know the real Louis, Jay has told me that when Louis suffers a bad press day he says to her "come on mum, let's make someone happy today. That's the kind of man Louis is," Sarah said, adding: "Louis Tomlinson is very grounded, he is family orientated and both Louis and Jay hold a very special place in my family's hearts."
Louis is scheduled to perform his first solo single Just Hold On during Saturday night's X Factor, in what will be a tribute to Johannah.
The dance track is a collaboration with DJ Steve Aoki, and although upbeat in tempo, contains poignant lyrics which many of Louis' fans are speculating he wrote for his mother.
The lyrics include the lines: "It's not over until your dying breath. So what do you want them to say when you're gone? That you gave up or that you kept going on?"
OPINION: There's enough for old-school and new-school fans alike.