Overview
- Charlene White posted a long Instagram reflection one year after she announced her father died by suicide in October 2025, describing the past 12 months as the worst of her life.
- She recounts the night she found out — coming home from a friend’s birthday, receiving a late call, seeing flashing police and ambulance lights, and being told the full truth in person.
- White says grief has had a sustained effect on her daily life, including frequent tears, avoiding events and messages, difficulty getting out of bed on some days, and a panic attack outside work where colleagues and her boss helped her breathe.
- She thanks the Lewisham police officers who responded that night and the counselling team at Suicide and Co, and she named charities including Samaritans, Calm and Black Minds Matter in the post.
- By speaking openly on the anniversary she seeks to destigmatise bereavement by suicide, urges anyone struggling to reach out for help, and uses her platform to point readers to practical support options.