Robin Bailey opens up about husband’s suicide for Men’s Health Week

BRISBANE radio personality Robin Bailey has tearfully opened up about the death of her husband, in an attempt to send a suicide prevention message. LISTEN NOW

• Bailey’s mercy mission
• Robin reduced to tears

ROBIN Bailey has spoken about the “excruciating” effect her husband’s suicide had on her family, and urged men to reach out for help with their mental health issues.

Opening up in the wake of the high-profile suicides of designer Kate Spade and chef Anthony Bourdain, and as part of Men’s Health Week, the Triple M radio host said she desperately wanted to help others by sharing her experience.

“Everyone talks about the person who dies, they don’t talk about the people that were left behind,” she said in an emotional on-air segment during The Big Breakfast with Marto, Robin and the Moonman yesterday.

“I am pissed off at the fact we all talk about the people that died.

“But, here’s the thing right, the person that kills themselves is both the perpetrator and the victim, so you all feel sad that someone is so unwell that they make that choice but, as someone who is left behind and has to raise three children on my own because of a choice that was made, it’s so hard.”

Bailey’s husband Tony Smart suicided in 2014, leaving behind her three sons Fin, Lewin, and Piper – then aged 14, 12 and 10.

Bailey was hit with further trauma when her current partner, Sean Pickwell, was diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery last year.

Speaking to The Courier-Mail today, she said she wanted to encourage men to open up and reach out rather than make a decision that would change their families’ lives forever.

“They may genuinely feel in that moment their family is better off and I just want to counter that,” she said.

“I also believe in my heart of hearts that, for someone like Tony, he believed that but I also believe if he was here now, he would have found a way forward and he would have been happy.”

Bailey lost husband Tony Smart to suicide in 2014.

Bailey said she did not claim to be an expert on the issues of suicide or mental health, but was speaking from the perspective of a mother who had seen the lasting consequences for her sons.

“I really want to talk on behalf of the kids because they had no say, they were thrown into something that was so blindsiding,” she said.

“To all those guys that have ever thought about it or are thinking about it or think ‘good idea’, it will change their lives forever and not in a good way.

“Think about your mum, your sister, your partner and your kids and think about what you will miss in five years’ time.”

Triple M was inundated with phone calls following Bailey’s speech.

If you or someone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636

Robin Bailey wants to spare other families the trauma she has experienced.