Kenny Rogers' widow Wanda Miller is dating someone "very special" three years after her husband's death

She told PEOPLE magazine: "He said: 'I'm not going to be here forever. I want you to be happy. You're young. I want you to have a full life past me.' And of course I was like: 'What? I don't want to talk about that. Turn the TV back on'."

Wanda was Kenny's fifth wife and they were parents to twin boys together, and she wanted to show her sons that life can go on after such a painful family tragedy.

She added: "One of the big things is to show the boys that life goes on. And it does - I'm dating someone very special. Kenny gave me his very best and he wanted me to move on and be happy. That's a really big man to be able to say those words and mean it. I think it just shows the kind of guy he was."

The couple married in 1997 and welcomed their sons seven years later. Kenny was also dad to three other children from his previous relationships.

Wanda went on to reveal she was introduced to her new partner by one of the singer's friends and the man previously dated her sister - the links to her past have convinced her Kenny was somehow involved in the matchmaking process.

She explained: "[Kenny's friend] introduced me to a friend of his and he said: 'Look, if you don't date each other, you'll be friends forever. He is going to be in your friend arsenal forever'. And we became friends at first."

"It's funny because a few of my friends said: 'I just really feel like Kenny's a part of this somehow.' And I know that sounds weird. [But her partner] tells our kids, 'I'm not your dad. No one will ever take the place of your dad, but I'm here as your friend forever.'"

Wanda added: "It's been big shoes to step into after I was with this icon for all these years in a very special relationship. But it's really been an easy relationship."