AFL Draft 2022: Top prospect Bailey Humphrey opens up on depression battle and the tragic loss of his best mate

Bailey Humphrey has drawn comparison to Christian Petracca and Jordan De Goey, and looms as a top 10 draft pick. But the teenager has come from a very long way back.

Bailey Humphrey opens up on losing his best mate.

See you tomorrow.

They were the last words Riley Pearce said to draft prospect Bailey Humphrey on a Facetime chat between the two best mates last year.

Humphrey was at a friend’s house when he got the call that turned his world upside down.

“I was actually at a mate’s house and I got a phone call from another mate. And I was like, ‘how do you know?’” Humphrey recounted.

“I didn’t know if it was real, and I was like ‘why would anyone make this up?’”

“I tried to text him straight away and obviously got nothing and I was like, ‘aw, what the hell?’”

That Facetime call would be their final conversation. Hours after that friendly chat, Riley tragically took his own life in the early hours of January 24, 2021 at the age of 17.

Humphrey had been aware of his close friend’s mental health struggles, but not the extent of them.

Riley, who had been diagnosed with severe depression, mild anxiety and social anxiety, had always preferred to help others with their demons, rather than share his own.

Bailey Humphrey and his best mate Riley Pearce (right), who took his own life at the age of 17. Picture: Supplied

“The last two years he covered up,” Riley’s father, Andrew, choked through tears.

“It was a big act to make everyone feel important around him. He just put on that act, so I don’t know what he was struggling with.”

The moment he heard the devastating news, Humphrey went numb in shock. He didn’t know what to do.

“I rang Mum and Dad right away and asked, ‘can you get me right away, I’ve heard Riley has passed away’ and I was still in shock,” he said.

“Then when all the Facebook things come out saying RIP and stuff I was like, this is real. And then that’s sort of when it all hit me – and I had a tough next month.”

The tragedy not only hit Humphrey hard, it rocked the tight-knit community of Moe.

But in the 18 months since, Humphrey has blown people away on and off the field while battling with his own mental health pain.

Final hours

Riley – or ‘Chop’ as he was affectionately known to his family and friends – looked to be on the road to recovery.

“To paint a picture, Riley had got an apprenticeship, bought a car the Saturday before he did it. we thought he was in a really good spot,” Andrew said.

“He had been discharged, I suppose you call it, from the child youth and mental health service because he was going to see someone there.”

“He came out one day and said, ‘Dad, I’ve been discharged’ and I thought, this is s*** hot. Didn’t think anything else of it, just positive stuff.”

On the day before his death, the social butterfly who was loved by all, was at a gathering in the nearby town of Trafalgar having a few beers and, from all reports, a great time.

“So that was the type of kid he was. That’s why – we thought – he was on the road to recovery, but he obviously wasn’t,” Andrew said.

Riley and Bailey Humphrey (right) were close friends. Picture: Supplied

Andrew and his mother Kerry have done a lot of soul searching since.

“After you lose him, you look back and you go through every little piece, go through your whole own life of what you have been and where you could have improved, and what you could have done to avoid this, what you’ve missed,” Andrew said.

But the loving couple, along with Bailey, have no regrets, and know they did everything they could to help Riley.

“And I’ve said that since day one that as parents, as a family, we did everything we could,” Kerry said.

“Loved and cherished by everyone and he had the support of everyone, but I think it was just always going to happen.”

Bailey said: “I think I tried my hardest. He was one of the kids that wanted to help other people, he didn’t really accept help from his friends I guess.”

“He did talk a bit (about his mental health) but probably wish I got more from him.”

Humphrey in action for the Gippsland Power. Picture: Kelly Defina/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Humphrey’s Demons

Humphrey has suffered from depression and anxiety himself for the past four years. He has sought professional help, but he hasn’t found the right person for him just yet.

“Since probably the age of about 14 I’ve suffered from depression and anxiety and it wasn’t obviously as severe (as Riley) but I’ve had a couple of incidents that have happened, I’ve tried to communicate and been pretty open and honest about it,” Humphrey told the Herald Sun.

“Breakdown is probably the word. My kind of ‘breakdown’ I’ve had a couple of them, and it’s been a bit tough, and the last couple of years have sort of been the worst but I’m kind of in a good spot at the moment.

“But, today you still have your down days – it’s not always up – but I think it’s getting a little bit easier.”

His darkest days were in the month after the crushing loss of his best mate.

He lost all interest in footy, which had always been a “distraction” from his internal struggles.

“It was obviously a very dark time, I’ve never experienced anything like that – I hadn’t lost a family member or anything – so I didn’t know how to feel, didn’t know what to do,” Humphrey recalled.

“I kind of avoided talking to people for that month, I sort of didn’t really leave the house. I only did things if I needed to.”

From this point, the relationship between Riley’s parents and Humphrey grew stronger, with Andrew and Kerry regularly checking up on him despite their own agony after losing their son.

“(Our relationship) definitely changed. There was a lot of concern for Bailey because you could tell he was in a darkish spot,” Andrew said.

Kerry Pearce (left) and Andrew Pearce (right) have been there for Humphrey. Picture: Supplied

But it was going back to his local footy club that helped Humphrey escape a deep hole of despair.

“After that month, the footy club was still going, so I thought I needed to pull my leg out and go to the footy club and stay around, and then I found out that communicating is the best thing and that’s sort of how it went,” Humphrey said.

Riley had been a regular confidant for Humphrey during their formative teenage years, regularly sharing his mental health toll with him.

“Obviously he helped me a lot and I could never be as grateful,” Humphrey said.

“He probably didn’t (communicate) as much as I did. After having a couple of beers with mates, the truth would come out. He wouldn’t really like people to help him, but he liked helping people.”

Having clashed for opposing sides in juniors – where Riley pipped Humphrey for the league best-and-fairest in under-12s – the pair formed a bond after Humphrey joined Moe in the under 16s.

There is an enduring image of Riley sticking up for Humphrey in one of his first games playing up as an underager in the under-18s for the Lions.

And Riley always knew Humphrey was destined for stardom.

“Riley did say to me one day – we were talking about Bailey – that he reckons Bailey was going to be famous one day. He goes, ‘I have to make sure I’m still his best mate!’” Kerry remarked with a laugh.

Riley (right) sticking up for Bailey Humphrey while the pair played for the Moe Lions. Picture: Supplied

The draft bolter

The scintilating highs the game-breaking prospect has achieved on-field are nothing short of incredible, after sinking to crippling lows off it.

And he has also overcome a series of unlucky injury setbacks.

This year alone, Humphrey had his appendix out in the pre-season, played through a niggle in his meniscus earlier in the season before it snapped in round 6 and required surgery.

After missing a big chunk of the season including most of the national carnival, he then returned in a big way for Gippsland Power in the backhalf of the NAB League to surge into top-10 draft calculations with some stunning performances.

The powerful midfielder-forward, who Power talent manager Scott McDougal believes has shades of Jordan De Goey and Jake Stringer, capped his year with an eye-catching final outing for Vic Country, before succumbing to a corkie, which will leave him unable to test at the national combine on Sunday.

How much did Bailey Humphrey love that goal? pic.twitter.com/sY3NdxxsAK

— AFL (@AFL) September 22, 2022

His rise is even more meteoric given he made the call to leave the Power program in 2020 to play local footy with his friends as doubts crept in, with his father Sean “super proud” of what he has achieved since.

Humphrey said it was the best thing he has ever done.

“Playing at local and we had the year off anyway, Power didn’t even play (because of the Covid shutdown). I think it was definitely the best thing for me,” he said.

“The year after I went back to Power and yeah and, now it is just go out there and try and make (Riley) proud.”

‘Chop’ is his biggest inspiration and the driving force for his promising footy career that is only just getting started.

Each game he runs out with Riley on his mind, with a nod to his close mate on his tape and footy boots – and he will have something special in mind for his first AFL goal.

“There’s definitely going to be a celebration (for Riley) if I get the opportunity to kick my first goal.”

What would Riley think of all this?

“Riley would have probably organised a cheersquad to follow Bailey and watch him play footy,” Andrew said with a laugh.

“He’d be hanging full on s***on ya, he wouldn’t be letting you get ahead of yourself at all.”

“He’d be always there for him and he’d be loving every minute be so proud of watching what (Bailey’s) achieved so far.”

“I hope all being equal that we do see Bailey kicking a goal on the big stage, because I’ll be there watching.”

Bailey Humphrey (right) will be out to make Riley proud. Picture: Jonathan DiMaggio/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Mental health passion

Humphrey has wisdom beyond his years, and he has become a staunch mental health advocate since Riley’s death.

And that tragedy, his own struggles and the guidance of mental health organisation Mindfull Aus sparked the inspiration for his own charity event, ‘Tee off on Mental Health’.

Humphrey, fellow Gippsland Power draft prospect Jacob Konstanty and their Lowanna College teacher Allan Chandler will be completing a golf relay challenge – 54 holes in three hours – at Moe golf course next Friday the 14th of October, aiming to raise $10,000 for Mindfull Aus.

Humphrey also aspires to use his AFL career as a platform for mental health advocacy, already signalling his intentions to work part-time in the industry once his footy is on track.

Riley’s legacy

Andrew and Humphrey say the legacy of Riley ‘Chop’ Pearce will live on forever in the community of Moe.

There has been a significant shift in the mental health space since his tragic death, with an increased willingness to speak up and live Mindfull Aus’ catchcry: be the change.

“He has touched … so many people,” Andrew said.

“We’ve really seen the impact of losing a close community member and a friend now and people go, ‘this s*** is really real.’ It’s not just stuff we talk about, it actually does happen.

“You go down swinging trying to help and making sure this doesn’t happen again because no other parent or family should have to go through what we’ve been through. Because it is horrible. “

Originally published as AFL Draft 2022: Top prospect Bailey Humphrey opens up on depression battle and the tragic loss of his best mate