A mum whose daughter died just hours after playing with her kids has warned of a hard-to-spot “silent killer”.
Jade Roberts was the “life and soul of the party” and had an infectious laugh but secretly struggled with her mental health, her mother revealed.
She died aged 26, soon after filming a sweet video at her home in Knotty Ash, Liverpool, in which she happily played with her children.
Her mum, Tracey, has campaigned to raise awareness of the struggles that may go unnoticed by people’s closest friends and family.
She launched the Jade Roberts Project hoping to prevent more people from suffering her late daughter’s fate and has successfully helped dozens step back from the brink in less than a year.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Tracey said her daughter was “absolutely beautiful inside and out” and cared deeply for others about whom she was “constantly worried”.
She was also a “fantastic mum” and would “give her last fiver to the homeless”, and Tracey felt her focus on others was “a way of hiding how she was feeling”.
Ms Roberts suffered from anxiety and depression, but Tracey said she wasn’t aware of the full extent of her daughter’s suffering.
She is now raising awareness of the “silent killer” with the project she opened eight months ago to serve people struggling with addiction, anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.
Tracey has helped approximately 100 people with their mental health troubles over the last year, roughly 30 of whom have come to her project in “suicidal crisis”.
Her work has earned her recognition from the Make a Difference Awards, which recognise people and organisations who make outstanding contributions to their communities.
The suicide intervention therapist keeps the project’s Anfield HQ open four days a week and guides people through their mental health crises.
As well as helping those in need, the project acts as a legacy for Jade and her children, and Tracey said her daughter would have “wanted me to help others”.
She added it is an “honour to do that in her name”, and will hold fundraising events over the next two months, with one on Saturday, August 5, from 11am to 5pm at St David’s Church, Childwall, and another on Sunday, September 10 in Everton.
Tracey called on people not to “suffer in silence”, urging those suffering from mental health issues to seek help so they can find “light at the end of the tunnel, and hope”.
People who want to donate to the Jade Roberts Project can contribute here.
The Samaritans can be reached round the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
If you need a response immediately, it’s best to call them on the phone. You can reach them by calling 116 123, by emailing jo@samaritans.org or by visiting www.samaritans.org.
