Johnny Ruffo’s long-time partner has broken her silence in the wake of the actor’s tragic death.
Tahnee Sims took to Instagram to pay tribute to Johnny, who passed away last week following a battle with brain cancer, with a video compilation of their relationship, writing simply, “A forever love.”
The heartbreaking footage showed the pair during happier times, including sipping champagne onboard a boat, on a skiing holiday, playing golf, and riding in a helicopter.
The video has seen an influx of support for Tahnee, including from Johnny’s former Home and Away co-star Lynne McGranger.
“Darling… I can’t imagine what you are going through. In our thoughts and prayers,” she wrote.
“Cannot wait to give you the biggest hug. We all loved Johnny so much but he was your honey and your soul mate and we ache for you.”
Fans have also shared their condolences, with one user writing, “Your souls were meant to find each other in this lifetime and the next. Sending you so much love and strength. Your support and love is what kept Johnny fighting, along with his determination. Your love was pure magic 🤍💫”
Tahnee and Johnny began dating in 2015, and were just two years into their relationship when Johnny received his brain cancer diagnosis.
Despite having the seven-centimetre tumour removed, Johnny’s cancer returned in 2020, and by 2022, he had received a terminal diagnosis.
In August of this year, just months before his death, Johnny expressed thanks for Tahnee during an interview with local Perth radio station YouthJam.
“She’s remarkable. I can’t give her enough kudos for how amazing she’s been and how much I’ve been able to lean on her for support,” he said.
“She’s been so strong, stronger than I have through all of this. She’s helped me pick myself up when I’m done and I can’t thank her enough. I’m sorry, I’m at a loss for words over how incredible she has been. To me and for me.”
The actor also revealed his worry about how Tahnee would cope following his death in an emotional interview with Carrie Bickmore back in 2022.
“What plays in my head a lot is, I hate to say this, how hard it may be for her if something does happen to me,’ he said.
“So, it’s something that I don’t want to think about. It just gets me a little bit emotional about it because I know at some point something will happen, whether it’s, you know, a month from now or 10 years from now or 20 years.’
Johnny also wrote about his hopes for starting a family with Tahnee in his recently published book, No Finish Line.
‘Suddenly I was having to have conversations about chemotherapy, radiation, and whether it was necessary to freeze my sperm just in case I became infertile,’ he wrote.
‘There’s something about nearly dying that puts things in perspective for you… Up until that point, the only real things that had mattered in my life, in no particular order, were performing, recording music, acting, Tahnee, family and partying with friends’ he wrote.
