Heartbroken woman’s partner said “sorry, remember I love you” before unexpectedly taking his life - family raising awareness of mental health
The family want to raise awareness of men’s mental health issues
A heartbroken woman’s popular partner told her “sorry, remember I love you” before he unexpectedly took his own life.
“Brilliant dad” Graham Benham, 56, went missing from his home in Lovedean before his body was found on April 10, 2024, leaving his partner of 30 years Jo Parker distraught.
There had been no inkling of train driver Graham’s private anguish - with his decision to end his own life still a mystery to this day.
It is why Graham’s “incredible boys” and some of their friends are taking on a 56km walking challenge from the family’s Lovedean home to the New Forest - one kilometre representing each year of his life.
Tom, 24, Ben, 22, and Luke, 19, want to raise awareness of men’s mental health issues following their dad’s death, with the subject “not spoken about enough”. Statistics suggest around 77 per cent of men experience mental health difficulties at some point in their lives, yet stigma and silence continue to surround the issue.
Writing on their GoFundMe, which has so far raised around £2,000, the brothers said: “Everyone should feel able to speak openly about how they are feeling, without fearing that they are a burden, and without feeling ashamed for struggling. No one should ever feel that their pain is something they have to carry alone or hide from the world.”
Jo, 53, told The News: “They are incredible boys. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be here. They make their dad proud everyday.
“Their walking challenge is a big deal and it will be hard but they are determined to do it. I will go along in a car and meet them a mile before the finish line.
“We want to raise as much awareness as possible and if we can save one family then it’s worth it.”
Jo said they were an “extremely close family” with Graham a “brilliant dad”, before adding: “The five of us would do everything together. We always loved each other and worked hard to make ends meet.”
Speaking of the fateful Sunday Graham died, Jo said she had “no idea” of any obvious difficulties her partner had been suffering beyond his “extremely stressful” job.
After leaving home Graham called Jo and told her “I’m sorry Jo I can’t do it anymore” before hanging up the phone. “I was screaming and rang him up and he said, ‘remember I love you’. I didn’t know what was going on,” Jo said.
At 6.30pm police knocked on the front door and delivered the horrific news. “I said, ‘where is he?’ They came in and told me to sit down. I was asking ‘where is he?’ and they just said ‘he’s dead’,” Jo said.
Jo added: “People say you get over it and I say, ‘how will I get over it?’ I don’t want anyone else. I just want Graham.”
To donate go to: www.gofundme.com/f/helping-raise-awareness-for-mens-mental-health