In the span of two years, Brad’s family went from five to three after his brother and then his father died by suicide.
It was the late 1980s in Lockington and well before Brad would go on to become a household name as a Network Ten sports presenter.
After losing brother Craig, 19, in 1989, Brad was left shattered a second time when his dad, Bob, passed away in 1990.
Brad, then 19, his mother, Marg, the district nurse, and sister Narelle were left to carry on.
“As my mum said, ‘you put one foot in front of the other’, because you have no other choice,” Brad said.
“Then when Dad died, you find yourself in disbelief that you’re going through it again.
“You find yourself thinking, ‘what could I have done?’.
“But a big part of our coping was not only our immediate family, but it was the community as well.
“The door didn’t stop opening.”
A Beyond Blue ambassador for more than a decade, Brad has spoken candidly about his family’s grief for the first time in the podcast Not Alone.
Brad said the experience was emotionally draining but well worth it in the end.
“I knew in saying yes to the podcast, I would be opening up and talking deeply about a period in our lives that was really difficult,” he said.
“And recording the podcast was difficult; it was raw, and I got really emotional.
“Passing it on to my mum, sister and nephew Sam — because it’s not just my story, it was our story — there were tears, we’re reflecting and reliving a difficult time in our lives.
“But we do it because it helps people. We have nothing to hide and a story to share.”
By speaking out, Brad hopes to spark more conversations around mental health in the community.
“The statistics in Australia around suicide, particularly men, are alarming,” he said.
“The title of the podcast, Not Alone, it’s a pretty simple way of looking at it, but when it comes to mental health, our brains and minds can play tricks on us and we can think we are alone and there is no way out.
“But there is always a way out and you are never alone.”
Incredibly candid about his own mental health journey, Brad says he has seen counsellors and psychologists in the past.
“Will I go back?” he said. “Probably. Why, because on every single occasion, it helps.”
After watching his brother and father struggle, Brad encouraged those suffering in silence to reach out and make use of the many resources now available.
“Conversations around mental health can be really difficult, but they’re crucial,” Brad said.
“From my experience, everyone wants to help, everyone wants to make sure you are okay.
“We get one crack at life and I know the most tragic outcome, we experienced it twice and I’ve had friends who have died of suicide; you never get over it.
“But what is most tragic is when people spend large periods of their lives suffering in silence and wearing a mask.
“My message to anyone is mental health has got nothing to do with weakness and nothing to do with guilt.
“It is part of being a human being.”
To listen to Brad’s episode of Not Alone, head to www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/not-alone.
● FOR crisis support or if you know someone who is struggling, phone Lifeline on 131 114 or visit lifeline.org.au; phone Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or visit beyondblue.org.au; phone Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800 or visit kidshelpline.com.auheadspace.org.au; or phone headspace on 1800 650 890 or visit
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