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England cricket star Graham Thorpe was a beloved figure in the sport. Famed for his batting abilities, he’s considered one of England’s finest ever cricketers, going on to become a respected coach and BBC sports commentator.
Thorpe sadly died on 5 August 2024 at the young age of 55, resulting in an avalanche of praise from across the sport and media. The highest praise came from the British cricket governing body, the England and Wales Cricket Board, who delivered a glowing tribute:
“There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham’s death. More than one of England’s finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world. His skill was unquestioned, and his abilities and achievements across a 13-year international career brought so much happiness to his teammates and England and Surrey CCC supporters alike. Later, as a coach, he guided the best England Men’s talent to some incredible victories across all formats of the game.”
“The cricket world is in mourning today. Our hearts go out to his wife Amanda, his children, father Geoff, and all of his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time. We will always remember Graham for his extraordinary contributions to the sport.”
But what were the circumstances of Thorpe’s death, and why did he die so young?
Graham Thorpe’s health
In 2022 Thorpe announced plans to become the head coach for Afghanistan’s cricket team, but fell seriously ill with an unspecified condition and could not take the job. He was promptly hospitalized, with the Professional Cricketers’ Association releasing a statement at the request of Thorpe’s family explaining:
“Graham Thorpe has recently fallen seriously ill and is currently in hospital receiving treatment. His prognosis is unclear at this stage and we ask for privacy for him and his family at this time. Our thoughts are with Graham and his family.”
His family’s request for privacy was granted, and there has been no public statement on what he was suffering from. It’s unknown whether his death was a consequence of this mysterious condition, so all we can do is await further news.
Update: Aug. 12 2014:
Thorpe’s wife Amanda has now revealed that her husband suffered from depression and anxiety and took his own life. In an interview with The Times, she said:
“Despite having a wife and two daughters whom he loved and who loved him, he did not get better. He was so unwell in recent times and he really did believe that we would be better off without him and we are devastated that he acted on that and took his own life.”
His wife also confirms that the medical incident two years ago was a previous suicide attempt. Thorpe’s daughter Kitty also gave a statement on the stigma of suicide:
“We are not ashamed of talking about it. There is nothing to hide and it is not a stigma. “We were trying to help him get better before and trying to protect him, which is why we said nothing. This is the time now to share the news, however horrible it is. We’ve wanted to be able to talk and share and we’d now like to raise awareness, too.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. A list of international crisis resources can be found here.