- Published
Warning: This story contains discussion of suicide and information some readers may find distressing
Where do they even begin?
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they → publish → suicide
Two women, united in grief, are meeting for the first time.
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women → unite → time
Debbie Beard lost her husband just over a year ago.
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Beard → lose → husband
Matt Beard, the former Liverpool Women manager, died in hospital on 20 September 2025.
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Beard → die → September
He is believed to have taken his own life, though an inquest is yet to conclude.
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inquest → believe → life
Amanda Thorpe's husband Graham, the former England and Surrey cricketer, took his own life in 2024.
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Graham → take → 2024
He had "spiralled into depression" after losing his job as a batting coach in 2022.
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He → spiral → 2022
The two women, who had never met before, came together at an event launched by the Prince of Wales and the Royal Foundation to urge sport at every level to make suicide prevention part of its culture through a new nationwide toolkit.
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prevention → meet → toolkit
There they spoke to the BBC's business editor Simon Jack, who was 17 when his father took his own life.
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father → speak → life
On Your Side, external is a set of resources available online that aims "to make suicide prevention as much a part of sport as warm-up, training and performance".
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prevention → aim → up
The background
Amanda Thorpe has said previously she believes her husband would still be alive had he received more support from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after leaving his coaching role.
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he → say → role
Following the inquest into his death, the ECB said it was "a profound tragedy" and added Thorpe's passing was a "stark reminder" of the challenges many face with mental health.
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many → follow → health
Matt Beard died a month after leaving his role as manager of Burnley Women.
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Beard → die → Women
When the inquest into his death was postponed indefinitely, Burnley said they were "aware of an ongoing legal process" and would "not be making any comment at this time".
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they → postpone → time
"Graham had been struggling for the previous year to 18 months during Covid.
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Graham → struggle → Covid
Graham didn't really like following rules and there were quite a few in Covid - like playing under bubble conditions.
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Graham → like → conditions
So he had been having some medication and therapy in his job.
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he → have → job
But then Graham lost his job and he didn't see it coming.
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it → lose → job
"He did pride himself with having been in the game his whole life.
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He → pride → game
He just couldn't believe that he was blindsided by it.
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he → believe → it
I think at least two other people were sacked at the same time, which does happen at the end of disastrous Ashes series.
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which → think → series
"Also he was probably drinking too much and found the whole of the last trip in Covid very stressful.
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whole → drink → Covid
He then took a playful video at the end of the tour, when they had a few drinks with the opposition.
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they → take → opposition
One of the players sent it to two friends and someone unfortunately leaked it, so it was in the Sydney Morning Herald."
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it → send → Herald
Simon: "Going for a few drinks with the opposition - you would think that that happens in sport all the time, but they lost?"
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they → go → sport
It's OK if you win but you're not allowed to have a drink if you lose.
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you → win → drink
He couldn't believe it.
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He → believe → it
And he was embarrassed and ashamed about this stupid video, which to me he blew way out of proportion.
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he → blow → proportion
But he was in this tunnel where he thought he'd messed it all up.
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he → think → it
So he went into a quick and steep decline."
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he → go → decline
Simon: "During that period, what could have been done?
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what → do → period
You said that he was seeking some help.
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he → say → help
What might have made a difference, do you think?"
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you → make → difference
Amanda: "He was having therapy sessions.
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He → have → sessions
He had 10 sessions.
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He → have → sessions
There's obviously the confidentiality but I found out after he made a very serious attempt on his life, when he really hurt himself very badly, that he'd mentioned suicide.
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he → be → suicide
I didn't know about that at the time.
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I → know → time
Of course, I feel that if I'd known, things could have been different.
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things → feel → ?
And I did feel that he wasn't really getting better.
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he → feel → ?
I felt like maybe he did need more help - maybe residential but we didn't really know where to find that."
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we → feel → that
…and 78 more, not listed.
The Aporia
