Ballarat community rocked by death of Bridie Cocks, Nick Watts

The Ballarat community is grieving the loss of Bridie Cocks, 15, who took her life weeks after her boyfriend.

A Ballarat family believes a critical shortage of psychological services may have contributed to their “beautiful” teenage daughter and her boyfriend’s deaths, which have rocked their regional community.

In a tragic ending to a teenage love story, Bridie Cocks, 15, took her life just weeks after her boyfriend, Nick Watts.

The teenagers had been dating for about five months when the 16-year-old apprentice took his life “completely out of the blue” on August 30, leaving his friends and family reeling from shock.

The Ballarat community is reeling after the suicide of Bridie Cocks, 15, and her boyfriend.

While his death rocked the whole community, it hit the Cocks family particularly hard – Nick was not only Bridie’s boyfriend, but also her older brother Riley’s best mate.

The trio was inseparable.

“They saw each other everyday. There wasn’t a day that went by that they weren’t together,” Bridie’s mum, Joan, said.

As her parents and two brothers grapple with their raw grief, they can’t help but think of all the milestones their youngest child and little sister will miss out on, and how deeply her presence will be missed for the rest of their lives.

Bridie – described as warm with a caring but mischievous nature – loved animals. She loved her pet dogs and cat and petting the family’s lambs and had recently voiced an interest in pursuing a career in paediatric nursing.

But while she lit up a room with her sparkling smile and her cheeky laugh was infectious, Bridie struggled with her mental health behind closed doors.

For two years her parents did everything they could to support her – they took her to see counsellors and moved her to a different school, where she made lots of new friends and had a “real impact” on her peers.

But young Bridie was “devastated” at the loss of her first serious boyfriend, and her mental health spiralled to a new, dark low.

“She was grief-stricken,” her distraught father, Richard, said.

As Nick’s birthday, October 15, drew nearer she had started to express that she didn’t want to live anymore.

“We tried so hard to get Bridie counselling and we thought things were improving,” he said.

“We didn’t think she would do anything like this, but she just couldn’t see a way of getting through that weekend.”

Two days before Nick would have turned 17, Bridie attempted to take her life on October 13.

She was rushed to the Royal Children’s Hospital, where doctors “tried everything and more” to help her.

Her parents remained by her side for nine days but Bridie died wrapped in the love of her family on Saturday, October 22.

While her parents did everything they could to help her, they are tortured by questions of what more they could have done.

They believe their daughter may have benefited from face-to-face professional help, but securing a psychologist appointment proved to be a dire challenge amid the mental health fallout from the Covid pandemic.

Her mum spent hours calling clinics in Ballarat and Melbourne, only to be told the waiting list was months long.

Bridie Cocks and Nick Watts

They eventually secured Bridie telehealth appointments with a psychologist from NSW but believe that by then it was “too late”.

“These kids need help right now and are losing their lives because they can’t get help,” Mr Cocks said, noting it was particularly crucial post-lockdowns as kids and teenagers had spent two years with little social development.

As they prepare for their bubbly Bridie’s funeral, her family wants to encourage others who may be struggling to reach out for help so no other family has to experience the same pain.

“Our world will never be the same again,” Mr Cocks said.

“Don’t be afraid to reach out, say you’re struggling and ask for help, especially in your darkest day,” Ms Cocks added.

“Someone will always be there.”

If you or someone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Help is also available via Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636, Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800 and Ballarat Headspace on 5304 4777.