Graham Thorpe, the highly respected former cricketer and England assistant coach died by suicide in August 2024. His untimely death has resonated deeply with sport and the wider communities. This TLC moment acknowledges Naomi’s advocacy and addresses the serious lack of mental health support for athletes. Although Thorpe was a depressive and an anxious man, he was one of the most revered batters of his age.
The inquest into Thorpe’s death revealed significant “missed opportunities” in the treatment he received. Despite having kneecaps, Heath’s health professionals had failed to support him properly before he died at 30. Coroner Jonathan Stevens ruled the death a suicide. Focus on the things that really matter He focused on how Thorpe wasn’t well supported during a pivotal time in his life. After his departure from the ECB, the only support Thorpe received was very little. His widow, Amanda Thorpe, described this assistance as “woeful.”
Amanda Thorpe without a doubt believes her husband would still be alive today. She believes he would have gotten more holistic help from the ECB had he been out of his coaching position in perpetuity. She stated, “We really did ask for help. I knew he needed more help than that and it wasn’t forthcoming.”
Graham’s legacy extends beyond the realm of cricketing fame. He was a dedicated family man and father. His death has opened important conversations about mental health among everyone from professional athletes to the general public. Amanda reflected on the struggles her husband faced, saying, “As he went through these sessions, it was clear that he wasn’t coping. He was getting worse.”
The ECB acknowledged Thorpe’s contributions to cricket, with a spokesperson stating, “Graham was not only one of England’s greatest cricketers, but a deeply admired and much loved person.” Amanda believes that the ECB’s support system just did not go far enough. She remarked on the challenges of transitioning away from the sport, saying, “It is hindsight and no one has got a crystal ball but it was just too much – the cliff, the whole mental breakdown of ‘I am no longer in that family.’”
Amanda Thorpe, above, has lobbied to bring more mental health support to athletes leaving their competitive careers behind. She believes that even a slight enhancement in the support framework could have made a significant difference in her husband’s life. “If he had had just a little bit of the support framework there to lean on a bit to just transition a bit more, it would have made all the difference,” she said.
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