He was described as a rare talent with a voice far beyond the ordinary — and he captured hearts when he appeared on The Voice UK.
Now, singer-songwriter Dean Franklin has died at just 36 years old, only weeks after being diagnosed with stage 4 oesophageal cancer.
Fought courageously
The London performer passed away on Saturday, Feb. 7. His mother, Marie, confirmed the heartbreaking news in a Facebook post the following day, sharing a photo of her son in a hospital bed.
“As a family, we are truly heartbroken to announce that our precious boy, Dean Franklin who fought so courageously over 8 weeks and 3 days passed over at 21.39pm last night,” she wrote on Feb. 8. “He was surrounded by love.”
She added, “I have been getting MSG’s from people this morning and wanted as his ma to manifest my son’s courage to share with you all. As a family, we will post in more length when we are able.”
“Until then, please know that the love you gave to our Dean and all of us has meant so very much,” Marie concluded.
Had almost no symptoms
Franklin first revealed his diagnosis in December through an emotional Instagram video. In the weeks that followed, the father of one continued to share updates about his condition, with his final post appearing on Jan. 30.
“Over the last few weeks, my life has changed very fast,” he told followers. “What started as esophageal cancer ended up spreading aggressively to my liver and weirdly, I had almost no symptoms from the oesophagus itself.”
After openly describing his health battle, he added, “Sometimes cancer doesn’t shout where it starts. Sometimes it whispers and shows itself somewhere else.”
Esophageal cancer is a highly aggressive disease that often carries a grim prognosis, and surgical removal of the esophagus remains the only potential curative treatment option. Common symptoms include difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), often described as the sensation of food getting stuck in the throat or chest. This can lead to unintended weight loss, reduced appetite, and painful swallowing (odynophagia).
Despite the severity of his illness, Franklin chose to continue treatment while receiving palliative care.
“Right now, I’m in palliative care while still continuing treatment. I’ve chosen to keep fighting with chemo even though it has been incredibly tough,” he shared. “Some days have been harder than others, especially the nighttime.”
Soulful street-performer style
He ended his message with gratitude for the outpouring of support.
“Every bit of love, I feel every single piece of it.”
He also left fans with a powerful plea: “If there’s one thing that I’d ask is please listen to your body, push for answers, don’t ignore changes and early checks really, really do matter.”
Franklin first rose to national attention during the blind auditions of the 2016 season of The Voice UK, where his soulful street-performer style impressed the judges.
Singer Paloma Faith ultimately became his mentor on the show and later offered her support during his illness, commenting on one of his updates, “You are so brave xxx.”
Before his death, Franklin launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking financial help as he was unable to work during treatment and to ensure his daughter would be cared for. The fundraiser has since nearly reached its $48,000 goal.
In the description, Franklin wrote, “This is not about giving up. It is about giving me peace of mind. Knowing that my daughter will be supported, and that practical worries will not take away from the time I have now.”
His words — honest, vulnerable and full of love for his family — are now part of the legacy he leaves behind. Rest easy Dean!
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