Latest news with #depression
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Star cricketer asked wife to help him end life
England cricket star Graham Thorpe asked his wife to help him end his life in a Swiss clinic before he died by suicide, an inquest heard. The dad, 55, was found dead on August 4 after a heartbreaking battle with anxiety and depression for several years. His wife Amanda today told an inquest in the UK how Thorpe had begged her to help him die when his mental health 'spiralled,' The Sun reports. She said: 'The weeks leading up to his death, he told me he doesn't want to be here any more'. 'He asked me to help him end his life. 'He said he wants to go to Switzerland. I was in turmoil.' The Surrey left-hander had previously tried to take his own life in 2022 after losing his coaching job with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Amanda told the court in Woking, in the county of Surrey in southern England, Thorpe had found the Covid lockdown 'very difficult' and 'stressful'. His dad Geoff agreed with the statement, saying: 'Everything was fine until Covid'. He said Thorpe was 'not a fella who likes to be cooped up' and also told how his son's life had come 'crashing down' when he lost his job with the ECB. Geoff Thorpe continued: 'What you've got to realise is sometimes us chaps are a little bit macho – we (say) can cope. In fact, we can't'. The inquest was told Thorpe was dismissed from his role following an 'incident' surrounding a viral video. According to reports at the time, the video was filmed after a dismal Ashes series which England lost 4-0. It showed Tasmanian police breaking up a drinking session involving both England and Australia players. The leak of the footage caused Thorpe to be dismissed and he ended up in hospital for eight weeks due to a suicide attempt in 2022. Assistant coroner Jonathan Stevens said: 'Things continued to go downhill, he was really struggling, had anxiety and insomnia and it was all really dark'. Thorpe made repeated threats to kill himself and by June 2024, he lost interest in food and 'wanted to hide away, totally isolated, in real crisis and despair', the court heard. On August 4 that year, he left home and was never seen alive again. Amanda believed he had gone out to walk the dog but saw the pet at home still so tried to call her husband. The court heard she then received a call from Thorpe's dad telling her: 'He's gone'. Amanda added: 'He never really recovered from (his first suicide) attempt'. 'He came back from the tour of Australia in a terrible state – lots of things, the video, the environment, the set-up. 'To be sacked after that I think it was foreseeable that it would be really hard on him.' Thorpe made his international debut in 1993 and scored a century on his first Ashes appearance, becoming the first England player to do so in 20 years. He was an England regular and went on to play 100 Tests, scoring 16 centuries and featuring 82 times for the ODI side, as well as enjoying a 17-year career with Surrey. His final Test appearance came in June 2005 before he was omitted from that summer's victorious Ashes series and called time on his international career. The inquest continues.
Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Ashes drinking video caused ‘catastrophic damage' to Graham Thorpe, inquest told
Graham Thorpe's life 'came crashing down' after he lost his job as England assistant coach in February 2022, an inquest has heard. Thorpe, who played 100 Test matches for England before joining the national team's coaching staff in 2010, was first diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018 but his condition worsened significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic and the England Ashes tour of Australia in 2021-22. An inquest into his death began on Wednesday morning, with Surrey Coroner's Court hearing that Thorpe was 'distraught, horrified, ashamed, terrified' when a late night video of a post-series social he had shared with some friends was leaked. Thorpe had filmed four police officers shutting down the social with Joe Root, the England captain, and Jimmy Anderson, as well as Australia's Nathan Lyon, Alex Carey and Travis Head. In a statement, Thorpe's wife Amanda told the coroner's court that he 'apologised personally to everyone' but was 'very stressed' by an incident that was 'blown out of proportion'. She said that he had got through a previous bout of depression without it affecting his work but that he found the Covid-19 lockdown 'very difficult' and that England's tour to India had been 'tough' for him and that he was already struggling with anxiety and experiencing difficulty sleeping. He sought help from the England & Wales Cricket Board in March 2021 and the decision to take him to Australia, where there was daily Covid testing and even more stringent lockdown restrictions, was questioned. Both Amanda and Thorpe's father, Geoff, did not think that he should have gone on that tour. It was acknowledged, however, that Thorpe would also have found it hard to stay at home. 'Really thinking about it… because he went on that tour, he was dismissed,' said Amanda. 'That ultimately was what he couldn't deal with. He probably had an option to say, 'I don't want to go'. [But] there's a big difference to saying, 'Do you want to go?' to 'We think you ought not to go'. I think that would have made a big difference. I don't think he realised how ill he was. He wishes he hadn't gone because of all that happened after.' England lost the series 4-0 and Thorpe was dismissed soon after returning to England. The inquest heard that this came as a 'real shock' and was the start of a tragic decline in his mental health. 'To be sacked after that, I think it was foreseeable that it would be really hard on him – it was harder than we could have known,' said Amanda. 'He came back from the tour of Australia in such a terrible state. It was down to lots of things; the video, the whole environment.' In a statement to Surrey Coroner's Court, Thorpe's father Geoff said that the late-night video incident in Australia had caused 'catastrophic damage' and that his life 'came crashing down when his employment to the ECB was terminated'. Thorpe, it was said, 'felt a failure, spiralled into depression' and became drained of confidence, with issues of anxiety and insomnia, loss of appetite, guilt, feeling a burden and not wanting to meet people. He had been offered a job with the Afghanistan national team in 2022 but it was ultimately decided that he was too unwell to take up the role. He made a first attempt on his life on April 30, 2022, less than three months after losing his England job, which left him unconscious for three weeks and in intensive care for around five weeks. He continued to suffer with suicidal thoughts – despite many attempts at intervention and support from loved ones and health professionals – before dying after being struck by a train in August 2024. 'He was really suffering – it was awful to see – he just felt that no one could help him,' Amanda told the coroner's court. 'He told me he was scared and I told him I was scared to. I tried to reach out to everyone I thought. The weeks leading up to his death, he told me he doesn't want to be here any more. He asked me to help him end his life. He said he wants to go to Switzerland. I was in turmoil. Then we get a letter for an appointment [with the medical team] in a month's time. How ill do you have to be?' Thorpe's father described a son who had been an outstanding footballer as well as cricketer who was 'dedicated, motivated and determined to do well' but that he was hit hard by the break up of his first marriage in 2001, both emotionally and financially. This was followed by him taking a year-long break from international cricket. 'Sometimes us chaps are a little bit macho – think we can cope, in fact we can't,' said Geoff, describing his son as 'fine' until Covid and 'not a fella who likes to be cooped up'. The inquest heard that Thorpe used alcohol in an attempt to mitigate his anxiety and try to sleep. Professor Nick Pierce, chief medical officer at the ECB, said that a variety of wellbeing support was provided, notably through their partnership with Changing Minds, a provider of clinical psychologists in elite sport. In a statement, Prof Pierce said that Thorpe had received Changing Minds support on camps and tours from 2019 and that there had been 'no indication that Graham was at risk of immediate self harm' during the India tour in 2020-21. He also said that a personal risk assessment and wellbeing safety plan was made prior to the 2021-22 Ashes tour, in conjunction with Thorpe and director of cricket Ashley Giles, and that Thorpe continued to receive support upon returning from Australia in Jan 2022. Of his dismissal the following month, Prof Pierce said: 'It is a common occurrence in elite sport for performance-related decisions to result in a rapid turnaround of staff'. In his statement, he also pointed out that Giles and head coach Chris Silverwood also lost their jobs, describing Thorpe's first suicide attempt as 'devastating and a complete shock to everyone who had been involved in his care'. A celebratory 'Day for Thorpey' will be held on the second day of the fifth Test against India at the Oval next month on what would have been his 56th birthday. Amanda and Thorpe's daughters Kitty and Emma are raising money for mental health charity Mind.
The Guardian
5 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Ex-cricketer Graham Thorpe ‘spiralled into depression' after losing job, inquest hears
The former England cricketer Graham Thorpe 'spiralled into depression' after losing his job as a batting coach in 2022, an inquest has heard. The 55-year-old died on 4 August 2024 after being struck by a train at a railway station in Surrey. His widow, Amanda Thorpe, later said he had taken his own life. An inquest at Surrey coroner's court in Woking on Wednesday heard that Graham Thorpe was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018 and had tried to kill himself in 2022. An incident involving a leaked video in Australia in 2022 had left him distraught, the court was told. According to reports at the time, the video, filmed after a dismal Ashes series in which England lost 4-0 to Australia, showed Tasmanian police breaking up a drinking session involving players from both sides. The video incident had 'caused catastrophic damage' to Thorpe, his father said in a statement to the inquest, adding that he believed those who were responsible for his son's safety and care could have done more to intervene. Amanda Thorpe said that up until 2020 there were no psychological issues in particular, apart from 'a bout of depression' in 2018, which did not affect her husband's job. In a statement to the court, she said her husband 'found lockdown and Covid very difficult, very stressful'. Graham Thorpe shared a video with some friends, which was leaked, and the incident was 'blown out of all proportion', leaving him 'distraught', her statement added. She said it was a 'horrible' time, and the later termination of his employment with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was a 'real shock to Graham', which was the 'start of the decline of his mental health'. Thorpe was a prominent batter for England between 1993 and 2005 before spending 12 years in coaching roles. He struck 16 test hundreds, including a debut century against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993, and represented his country 182 times in all formats. Thorpe's father said his son became 'more and more desperate and helpless in the last year of his life'. Reading Geoff Thorpe's statement, the coroner said: 'You felt those who were responsible for Graham's safety and care could've done more to intervene.' Prof Nick Peirce, the ECB's chief medical officer, said in a statement that after Thorpe's employment ended in February 2022 his private health insurance cover was extended until May that year. In May, the ECB was advised that Thorpe had attempted to take his own life, and Peirce explained that 'at no point during Graham's time at ECB had there been any concern regarding a risk of self harm or intent to end life'. The inquest continues. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@ or jo@ In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at
BBC News
5 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Graham Thorpe 'spiralled into depression' after losing ECB job
Former England and Surrey cricketer Graham Thorpe "spiralled into depression" after losing his job as a batting coach in 2022, an inquest has 55-year-old died on the morning of 4 August 2024 after being struck by a train, with his widow Amanda Thorpe later saying that he had taken his own inquest at Woking Coroner's Court on Wednesday heard that Mr Thorpe was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018 and previously tried to take his own life in left-handed batter spent his entire first-class playing career at Surrey, alongside playing 100 Tests and 82 one-day internationals for England between 1993 and 2005. 'Catastrophic damage' Mrs Thorpe said that up until 2020 there were no psychological issues in particular, apart from "a bout of depression" in 2018 which did not affect his statement went on to address an incident in 2022 involving a leaked video in Australia which had left Mr Thorpe "distraught".According to reports at the time, the video showed Tasmanian police breaking up a drinking session involving both England and Australia it as a "horrible" time, Mrs Thorpe said the later termination of his employment with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was a "real shock" which marked the "decline" of his mental Thorpe's father, Geoff Thorpe, said in a statement that the video incident had "caused catastrophic damage to him".Professor Nick Pierce, the ECB's chief medical officer, said in a statement that after Mr Thorpe's employment ended in February 2022 his private health insurance cover was extended until the said that at "no point" during Mr Thorpe's time with the ECB was there any concern regarding a risk of self harm or "intent to end life".Reading Geoff Thorpe's statement, the coroner said: "You felt those who were responsible for Graham's safety and care could've done more to intervene." Coroner Jonathan Stevens read a statement from Mr Thorpe's GP, Dr Joan Munnelly, who said the cricketer was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in Munnelly said the attempt to take his own life in 2022 resulted in a brain injury which left Thorpe in intensive Thorpe said that, by 2023, her husband was experiencing suicidal thoughts and was "in a terrible way" after Christmas that year. The last contact between Mr Thorpe and those responsible for his psychiatric care was in June last year. The inquest continues. If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, help and support is available at BBC Action Line.
The Independent
6 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Cricketer Graham Thorpe ‘spiralled into depression' after job loss, inquest told
Former England cricketer Graham Thorpe 'spiralled into depression' after losing his job as a batting coach in 2022, an inquest has heard. The 55-year-old died on the morning of August 4, 2024 after being struck by a train at a railway station in Surrey and his widow Amanda Thorpe later said he had taken his own life. An inquest at Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking on Wednesday heard that Thorpe was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018 and previously tried to take his own life in 2022. An incident involving a leaked video in Australia that year had left him 'distraught', the court was told. Mrs Thorpe said that up until 2020 there were no psychological issues in particular, apart from 'a bout of depression' in 2018 which did not affect his job. In a statement to the court, she said her husband 'found lockdown and Covid very difficult, very stressful'. While on tour in Australia, there was an 'incident involving a video that was taken that had adverse publicity'. Thorpe shared a video with some friends which was leaked, and the incident was 'blown out of all proportion', leaving Thorpe 'distraught', Amanda Thorpe's statement added. According to reports at the time, the video, filmed after a dismal Ashes series which England lost 4-0, showed Tasmanian police breaking up a drinking session involving both England and Australia players. Mrs Thorpe described it as a 'horrible' time, and said the later termination of his employment with the England and Wales Cricket Board was a 'real shock to Graham', which was the 'start of the decline of his mental health'. Coroner Jonathan Stevens read a statement from Thorpe's GP, Dr Joan Munnelly, who said the cricketer was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018. Dr Munnelly said an attempt to take his own life in 2022 resulted in a brain injury and he was in intensive care. Thorpe spent time in a private hospital after he was discharged. By 2023, Thorpe had suicidal thoughts, his widow said, and after Christmas he was 'in a terrible way'. The last contact between Thorpe and those responsible for his psychiatric care was in June last year, and Amanda Thorpe felt that he should have been 'assessed properly', the court heard. In a statement, Graham Thorpe's father, Geoff, said the video incident had 'caused catastrophic damage to him' and 'ultimately he lost his job', then quickly 'spiralled into depression'. Thorpe became 'more and more desperate and helpless in the last year of his life', he added. Reading Geoff Thorpe's statement, the coroner said: 'You felt those who were responsible for Graham's safety and care could've done more to intervene.' Professor Nick Pierce, the ECB's chief medical officer, said in a statement that after Thorpe's employment ended in February 2022 his private health insurance cover was extended until the May. In May the ECB was advised that Thorpe had attempted to take his own life, and he explained that 'at no point during Graham's time at ECB had there been any concern regarding a risk of self harm or intent to end life'. He added that the ECB healthcare trust was approached about helping to cover the costs of treatment for Thorpe at a hospital and the trustees agreed. Thorpe was a mainstay in the England set-up for many years, first as a batter between 1993 and 2005 before spending 12 years in coaching roles. During a distinguished international career, he struck 16 Test hundreds for England, including a debut century against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993, and represented his country 182 times in all formats. The inquest continues.
