Warning: The following deals with pregnancy loss and suicidal ideation.
Candice Warner has hit rock bottom twice in her life.
The first time, she was just 22.
She was Candice Falzon then, known best as a successful IronWoman until she was mercilessly slut shamed by the press and online commentators over an encounter with rugby league star Sonny Bill Williams at the Clovelly Hotel in 2007.
That night, Warner was out with friends after a day at the races, when she found herself "chatting" and "flirting" with the then-21-year-old Bulldogs star, who was out celebrating a win with teammates.
Recalling the incident on The Sunday Project, Warner said the pair wanted to find somewhere private and ended up in a bathroom cubicle.
"The last thing we wanted was everyone looking and all eyes on us, so we thought we would go to somewhere that was more private. Clearly we went to a place that was unacceptable," she told host Sarah Harris.
As the rest of the country would come to learn, a member of the public had filmed the pair without their knowledge, the media acquired the footage and committed the details of their drunken liaison to paper for everyone to gape over.
The following year, Waner appeared on the grueling reality show SAS Australia. It was a chance to achieve something of her own again, to reclaim her identity.
"[Shame] is just something you learn to deal with. You just know that every day gets better and better. And we are very lucky, we have sport, because with sport you have redemption. So you have the opportunity to prove yourself wrong, you have the opportunity to score big score, and people go, 'Wow, look how well he's come back.' ... You just have to learn to deal with it, and you know that through hard work and just doing the right thing, people will eventually see that and appreciate it."
You can listen to Candice Warner's interview on the 'No Filter' podcast here.
If you think you may be experiencing depression or another mental health problem, please contact your general practitioner. If you're based in Australia, 24-hour support is available through Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636.
If you or a love one has experienced pregnancy loss, 24-hour phone support is available from Sands Australia. Please call 1300 072 637.
This article was originally published on November 23, 2020 and was updated on April 17, 2023.
Feature image: Channel 10.
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