Music legend Phil Collins was in the stands cheering at his son Mathew’s rugby match on May 18, and they captured the moment with a photograph.
“2 big wins today!” Mathew, 20, wrote on Instagram, adding a heart and the holding-back-tears emoji. Dad Phil, an 8-time Grammy winner, has faced significant health challenges over the years and retired from performing in 2022.
“I keep thinking I should go downstairs to the studio and see what happens,” Phil told MOJO in February. “But I’m not hungry for it anymore. The thing is, I’ve been sick, I mean very sick.”
In the photo, Mathew resembles a younger version of his father, with thick sandy brown hair, wide blue eyes, and a smile that lights up his entire face. With their arms around each other, the bond between the two men is unmistakable.
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A post shared by Mathew Collins (@mcollins0112)
Phil was married and divorced to three women: with Orianne Cevey, he shares two sons, Mathew and Nicholas, 24; with ex-wife Jill Tavelman, he is the father of “Emily in Paris” actor Lily Collins; and with Andrea Bertorelli, he has Joely, 52, and Simon, 48.
“Love love love,” Joely wrote on her brother’s Instagram post.
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A post shared by Lily Collins (@lilyjcollins)
When Mathew turned 20, his sister Lily posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, featuring a photo of them hugging.
“How on earth did you grow up (so) fast? I could not be prouder of the human you are or more excited for what’s to come in this next decade,” she wrote. “Thank you for always making me laugh, for teaching me what it means to be a big sister, and for reminding me of what’s important. I love you more than words will ever express.”
“I Love! Thank you for everything!” Mathew replied in the comments.
In a 2022 interview with TODAY’s Willie Geist, Lily reflected on what it was like growing up with a famous father.
“I remember being a kid at Disneyland with my dad and having someone come up and ask him for a photo. And I think I was just so confused because I was, like, well, Disneyland has nothing to do with him,” she said. “But it was that kind of recognition no matter where he went that he had touched the life of somebody in a very profound way.”
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
