Sam was thrilled when she saw her daughter Chloe on her first day at high school.
The proud mum from Brisbane was excited for her daughter’s future and even took a photo of her on her first day.
However, nine months later, Chloe took her own life.
Sam told 7Life that she had missed out on her daughter’s early signs of depression.
Chloe started asking to change schools, but her mother blamed her high school nerves. On September 17, 2017, she took her own life. Since her death, Sam has been trying to help other parents navigate the emotional and practical issues that follow the suicide of a child. Through her own struggles, Sam hopes to prevent other families from experiencing the same tragic outcome.
Sam is struggling to come to terms with her daughter’s sudden death, describing her as a beautiful and bubbly girl who had always wanted to make people smile. She was also passionate about animals and was dedicated to helping others. Chloe was an aspiring veterinarian, and she would do anything to make everyone feel happy.
According to Sam, these were the first signs that her daughter might be experiencing a mental health issue. Throughout her seventh-grade year, she repeatedly asked to change schools. She would also tell her mother that she was falling ill and didn’t want to go to school.
Chloe’s grades started to drop, and she told Sam that she wanted to start afresh. She also confessed that she was struggling with her reading. According to Sam, it was crazy that her daughter was struggling with reading, as she was a good student.
The mother suspected that her daughter was struggling with her academics and extracurricular activities, which included horse riding. She suggested that Chloe might be experiencing a mental health issue. Sam then reached out to the school, and they told her that she would be able to meet with the guidance counselor soon.
Although the doctor said that Chloe wasn’t depressed, Sam noted that she was feeling very down. She was also having thoughts about harming herself, and she had confided in her friends. Unfortunately, nobody believed that she was serious until her death, which occurred just days before she was scheduled to meet with the school’s guidance counselor.
The loss of Chloe has left a gaping hole in her family’s hearts. Sam said that she felt like she couldn’t keep anything in when she returned to work following her daughter’s death. She then realized that her daughter might have been experiencing depression.
Sam started to research mental health issues in an attempt to understand what caused her daughter to kill herself. She also participated in various events and charity walks in an effort to raise awareness for mental health.