‘How do you get over losing two children for absolutely nothing?’

THEY lost one son to a coward punch. Four years later, another took his own life. Now Ralph and Kathy Kelly are voicing their grief.

THE pain is palpable.

Almost a year after losing their second son Stuart in the nightmarish fallout of his brother Thomas’ killing in a 2012 one-punch attack, parents Kathy and Ralph Kelly have spoken about their battle to come to terms with the deaths.

Two sons in four years is too much.

“How do you ever get over losing two children for absolutely nothing?” a tearful Kathy asks 60 Minutes’ Allison Langdon, in an interview to air on Channel 9 on Sunday night.

“And he was just the funniest, most intelligent beautiful child you could ever have.”

Kathy believes that losing Stuart was the price of the family’s fight to make Thomas’ death matter.

“I think 100 per cent if Thomas had not been killed then Stuart would be here today, without a doubt,” she says.

Stuart's mother Kathy Kelly says goodbye at Stuart’s funeral last year. Picture: Craig Greenhill

Stuart Kelly took his own life in July last year, after struggling to come to terms with Thomas’ death.

Before his death, Stuart had been a fearless campaigner for tighter laws against alcohol-fuelled violence.

He spoke of the toll his bother’s death had on him and his family.

“Your brother Thomas is in a critical condition and will not survive. I was told to prepare for his death. Those few words would change our lives forever,” he said in one speech.

60 Minutes reveals the Kelly family has been given support by the rugby league community in a new fight to support Stuart and people who have contemplated suicide.

“We just saw that voice getting back into the community and saying ‘you’re not alone, if you’re suffering from this’.” Ralph says.

“You’re not a burden on your family. Understand that you’re loved and that you’re an important person in society”.

60 Minutes airs at 8.45pm Sunday on Channel 9

If you or somebody you know needs help, visit Lifeline or phone 13 11 14

The Kelly family: Father Ralph, mother Kathy, sons Thomas and Stuart and daughter Madeleine, before the devastating deaths of their two sons. Picture: Channel 9