The cricket community prepares to honor the legacy of Graham Thorpe with a special event titled “A Day for Thorpey.” This appropriate tribute will occur on the opening day of England’s fifth and final Test with India at The Oval. Thorpe is the artistic genius in the English batting lineup. Of great stature, he represented his country in 100 Test matches scoring 6744 runs at an astounding average of 44.66. His contributions to the sport didn’t end when he left the field of play. He has filled myriad coaching roles ever since, most recently as head coach of Afghanistan starting in March 2022.
Thorpe’s cricketing journey began with a memorable debut against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993, where he scored a century. A great career saw him represent England in 82 one-day internationals. Having already spent 17 years in Surrey, he established his household name status as the fulcrum around which domestic cricket spun.
Thorpe’s numbers are eye-popping by any measure. He was an important factor behind the England staff’s turnaround within the 2021-22 Ashes collection in Australia. Personally, as things were just looking up, he experienced the loss of his wife to longstanding health issues. For many years Thorpe suffered from serious depression and anxiety issues. Despite external successes, his mental health declined severely after the tour, culminating in an attempted suicide in May 2022. This unfortunate escalation resulted in a week-long visit to intensive care.
In Sheehan’s wake, his family has become mental health advocates in an effort to combat the stigma surrounding mental health, and to encourage others suffering to seek help. Supporting the foundation As participants in “A Day for Thorpey,” they’ll be selling headbands designed by his wife Amanda and their daughters Kitty and Emma. All profits from sales will go to mental health charity Mind. Emma expressed the importance of sharing their family’s experience, stating:
“My dad was quite a private person, so for us to share his and our experience is important to help other people who have gone through similar things.” – Emma
Kitty emphasized the significance of speaking up and seeking help:
“Our key message is to speak up and reach out for help early on. There is help out there. It needs to be spoken about more.” – Kitty
They hope to change the stigma of talking about mental health. Amanda noted the challenges Thorpe faced after returning from Australia, revealing the stress he endured:
“It was all very stressful and he wasn’t great on that trip. Then he came back, and, as happens, his job ended, then he got offered another job. It was hard for him, probably harder than we knew. He got a lot worse then, very quickly, actually.” – Amanda
Watching Thorpe’s mental and physical decline was heartbreaking for his family. Kitty remarked on how his vibrant personality changed over time:
“It was impossible not to notice his spark and whole personality changed, over time to almost unrecognizable.” – Kitty
Their dedication to spreading awareness comes from the hurt that their family has experienced. Kitty described how Thorpe’s mental illness evolved into physical health issues:
“It was awful to see. What started as a mental illness turned into a physical illness.” – Kitty
A Day for Thorpey intends to recognise the cricketing accomplishments of Graham Thorpe, but more importantly, the immeasurable difference he made in the lives of those around him. Amanda reflected on the event’s significance:
“That day will be very powerful. We want to celebrate him and his memory. His light was so bright. He’ll go on.” – Amanda
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