Former England batter Thorpe died by suicide, family reveals

Thorpe, who represented England in 100 Test matches and 82 one-day internationals, passed away last week at the age of 55.In an interview with The Times, Thorpe's wife Amanda shared that he had been battling depression and anxiety for several years.Despite having a wife and two daughters whom he loved deeply, he was unable to recover, she said. 

"He had been struggling significantly in recent times and tragically believed that we would be better off without him. We are devastated that he acted on those thoughts and took his own life."For the past couple of years, Graham had been suffering from severe depression and anxiety. This led to a serious suicide attempt in May 2022, which resulted in an extended stay in intensive care.

Although there were moments of hope and glimpses of the old Graham, he continued to battle with depression and anxiety, which at times became very severe. As a family, we supported him and he tried numerous treatments, but unfortunately, none of them truly made a difference.

Thorpe will be remembered as one of the finest batters of his generation, scoring 2,380 runs in 82 one-day internationals and amassing 6,744 runs in 100 Test matches, with an impressive average of 44.66 and 16 centuries.

Honoring Thorpe’s Legacy: Family initiatives and Worldwide tributes

After retiring in 2005, Thorpe transitioned into coaching, starting in Australia before returning to work with Surrey and the England team.

His family is now considering launching a foundation in his name to raise awareness of the mental health struggles Thorpe faced.We are not ashamed to talk about it, said his eldest daughter Kitty, 22. There’s nothing to hide, and it shouldn’t be a stigma.

Previously, we were focused on helping him recover and protecting him, which is why we kept it private.But now is the time to share the news, as difficult as it is. We’ve wanted to speak out, and we hope to raise awareness as well.

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Tributes have poured in from the cricket world since Thorpe's passing.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) praised Thorpe as "more than just one of England's finest-ever batters; he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans around the globe."

England batter Joe Root, a former national captain, called Thorpe a "hero, mentor, and so much more."Michael Vaughan, another ex-England captain, expressed gratitude to Thorpe "for all the advice throughout my career." He added, "You were a great player and a brilliant teammate. You've left us far too soon, but you’ll always be remembered as an England cricket legend."

In June 2022, current England captain Ben Stokes showed his support for Thorpe by wearing a special shirt after the Professional Cricketers' Association announced that the former England batter was "seriously ill." The shirt bore Thorpe's name and the number 564, representing his status as the 564th player to be capped by England.

After news of Thorpe's death, Stokes shared a picture of himself in the shirt on social media, accompanied by a series of heart emojis.A minute's silence was also held at cricket grounds across the country in tribute to Thorpe.