A LAUNCESTON mum who nurtured a terminally ill son for 10 years while raising three others says she is overwhelmed and honoured to be crowned Tasmanian Mother of the Year.
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Lisa King was awarded the accolade by children's charity group Barnardos at a Hobart ceremony on Wednesday.
Mrs King has four sons: Jalen, 15, Harri, 10, Kobe, 6, and Noah.
Sadly, Noah died in 2011 when he was 10 after a brave battle with a severe mental disability called hydranencephaly.
It was just three months before tragedy struck the King family again, when Lisa's husband Aaron suffered a fatal heart attack.
He was 39.
Mrs King was recognised for inspiring mothers from all walks of life throughout her hardship and heartache, particularly by reaching out to others through her well-trafficked blog, The Kings.
She said it was a massive shock to be nominated for the award, and overwhelming to have won.
"I feel really honoured, especially when there's such amazing mums - like the other two women who were nominated today, I think deserved it just as much as me," Mrs King said.
Margaret Saunders and Jody-Lee Rosevear were finalists in the annual awards.
Mrs King said every day was still tough in the wake of the deaths of her son and husband.
"I guess I just try to live my life to make them proud and try to think that they'd want me to keep going, they wouldn't want us to give up," she said.
Jalen King, 15, could barely contain his immense pride after his mum was handed the gong.
"We all went through some very hard times and she was there being really strong for all of us," he said.
Premier Will Hodgman, who helped present the award, paid tribute to Mrs King's personal stoicism and public contributions.
"Lisa has been an inspiration to her family and friends, in times of love and sadness," he said. Mrs King will now represent Tasmania at the 20th National Mother of the Year award, which will be announced in Sydney on May 7.