Amanda Thorpe, wife of former England cricket star Graham Thorpe, revealed the tragic details of her late husband’s death.
In an interview with the U.K.’s The Times, Amanda said her husband died by suicide last week after a years-long struggle with “major depression and anxiety.”
The death of Graham — who represented England on the pitch from 1993 to 2005 — was announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Monday, August 5. He was 55 years old.
“He was so unwell in recent times and he really did believe that we would be better off without him,” Amanda said, “and we are devastated that he acted on that and took his own life.”
Amanda further detailed Graham’s May 2022 suicide attempt, “which resulted in a prolonged stay in an intensive care unit.”
“Despite glimpses of hope and of the old Graham, he continued to suffer from depression and anxiety, which at times got very severe,” she continued. “We supported him as a family and he tried many, many treatments but unfortunately none of them really seemed to work.”
Despite her late husband’s reputation for being “mentally strong on the field,” Amanda used his death to shine a light on the misconceptions surrounding his condition.
“Mental illness is a real disease and can affect anyone,” she said. “Despite having a wife and two daughters whom he loved and who loved him, he did not get better.”
The couple share daughters Kitty, 22, and EMMA, 19.
“We are not ashamed of talking about it,” Kitty said of her father’s death. “There is nothing to hide and it is not a stigma. We were trying to help him get better before and trying to protect him, which is why we said nothing. This is the time now to share the news, however horrible it is. We’ve wanted to be able to talk and share and we’d now like to raise awareness, too.”
Thorpe’s family is in discussions to start a foundation in his name.
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In addition to Amanda and his two daughters, Thorpe is survived by his father, Geoff, and his brothers, Ian and Alan.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
