Anita Frawley shares her final memory of her late husband Danny

Anita Frawley has spoken for the first time since the tragic passing of her husband Danny.

Danny Frawley felt he was “bulletproof” and went off his mental health medication eight months before his death, his widow has ­revealed in an emotional plea ­imploring men battling depression to seek professional help.

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Anita Frawley broke her silence on Monday to reveal her late husband’s mental health had deteriorated in the weeks leading up to his death in a single-vehicle accident in regional Victoria.

“Danny, as a champion of mental health, would want me to continue his legacy and be open with the public of the events leading up to this heartbreak,” she said.

“While the circumstances of the event are unconfirmed and will remain uncertain until the investigations are complete, it was true that Danny’s mental health had deteriorated in recent weeks.”

Anita and Danny Frawley in 2016. Picture: Stuart Walmsley

Frawley’s death cast a dark cloud over the AFL community after the former St Kilda star’s ute crashed into a tree at Millbrook, near Ballarat, on Monday, ­September 9. It was the day after the St Kilda great, nicknamed “Spud” because he grew up on a potato farm, celebrated his 56th birthday by playing board games with his wife and daughters ­Chelsea, Keeley and Danielle. Mrs Frawley said her husband had felt invincible in the months leading up to his death, removing himself from psychiatric care and going off his mental health medication.

“The road leading up to last Monday’s events began eight months ago when Danny made the decision to take himself off his prescribed medication,” she said.

“At this point, Danny felt ­invincible, like the true competitor and proud man that he was; he felt that he had beaten the disease.

“In fact, he felt bulletproof, which contributed to his decision to remove himself from his support network, including his psychiatric care and not continuing to work with his team of mental health professionals.

The Frawley family.

“The reason I’m making this public is that I want this to be a ­reminder to all those grappling with mental health conditions and to those whom have made progress with their wellbeing that you should always seek help from professionals when considering making decisions surrounding your mental health, even when you feel as though you have fully recovered.”

Mrs Frawley said her late husband would remain the love of her life and implored other men to seek professional help.

“I would like to leave everyone with this quote from Danny: ‘Manning up in the past was to suffer in silence, manning up now is to put your hand up.’ ”

Former Beyond Blue chairman and Victorian premier Jeff Kennett applauded Mrs Frawley’s bravery and said her words would resonate in the community.

Read Anita Frawley’s full statement here

Frawley will be farewelled by loved ones at a private funeral service at Moorabbin Town Hall at 3pm on Wednesday. His family have asked for donations to be made to mental health charities Beyond Blue, Puka Up and One In Five to honour the late star.

Mrs Frawley finished her statement with: “Since Monday, there has been a gaping hole in our family which will never be repaired. The girls and I are finding it difficult to accept you are gone and our lives as we knew them will never be the same. We miss you. We will ­always miss you. Anita.”

If you need help

For help with emotional difficulties, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au

For help with depression, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or at www.beyondblue.org.au

The SANE Helpline is 1800 18SANE (7263) or at www.sane.org

For more information on how to support others who might need help and what warning signs to look for, visit: Conversations Matter.