Reports of radio presenter Mark Pilgrim’s ‘death’ spread like wildfire on Thursday evening, but have since been confirmed as fake news.
Image via Instagram
@markpilgrimza
Born fighting! 5 Times Mark Pilgrim overcame life’s setbacks
Health, rejection, and heartbreak: Here is how radio personality Mark Pilgrim picked himself up after a series of setbacks…
Reports of radio presenter Mark Pilgrim’s ‘death’ spread like wildfire on Thursday evening, but have since been confirmed as fake news.
Image via Instagram
@markpilgrimza
While Mark Pilgrim bravely takes on stage four lung cancer, it’s clear his whole life has prepared him to put on his best fight.
That’s because the beloved TV and radio star has been open and honest about the struggles in his life and how he overcame them…
ALSO READ: Don’t stop believing: 5 reasons we love Mark Pilgrim
FIVE TIMES MARK PILGRIM OVERCAME ADVERSITIES
Seeking a better life in South Africa
Born in England, Mark Pilgrim relocated to South Africa at the tender age of nine years old. Mark’s website revealed that he grew up poor, having lived in a trailer during his childhood.
He told 702: “I’m white trailer trash. In England, I literally grew up in a trailer”.
He added: “I don’t need to earn millions. I just want to provide for my family… All I want on my tombstone is, ‘The best dad ever’”.
ALSO READ: Mark Pilgrim: Throwback pics of Mzansi’s favourite radio star
Being REJECTED on radio
Before his award-winning career as a radio personality, Mark Pilgrim was on a much different career path as a consumer researcher. Having studied industrial psychology, Mark decided to pursue his dream of being on the airwaves instead.
And his dream has paid off – in 2021, Mark was inducted into the Radio Awards Hall of Fame for his stints at stations like 5FM, Highveld Stereo, KFM, and his home Hot 102.7 FM.
But before that could happen, Mark encountered several hurdles – like being rejected in job applications because of his “pronunciation.”
He told 702: “Even Pick n Pay turned me down as an in-store announcer. Which I’m grateful for [as it led me to other things].”
Overcoming health struggles
Mark Pilgrim’s cancer struggles are not the first time he has endured health woes. At the age of 18 years old, the radio star was diagnosed with stage three testicular cancer, which he overcame.
Twenty years later, he survived a heart attack that left him with permanent internal damage.
Divorce and being a single dad
In 2020, Mark Pilgrim revealed that he and his wife, Nicole Torres divorced after 13 years of marriage. But Mark maintained that he would “always be friends and respect” his former partner.
Speaking to The South African previously, Mark revealed that he has a good co-parenting relationship with his ex. He is also a hands-on dad.
Mark is now also happily engaged to new partner Adrienne Watkins.
Not giving up
Mark Pilgrim has proved that pursuing your dreams is never too late. In 2020, he completed his Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at a university in Edinborough.
He previously said about what keeps him going: “Fortunately, cancer pushed me to do what I loved doing.”
