The devastating death of Charlotte Dawson on Saturday has rocked not just Australia’s entertainment world, but made international headlines.
Fox News today presented a tribute to the “anti-bullying crusader”.
UK papers have also featured news of her tragic death, and back home her friends and family have spoken of the shock, dismay and helplessness they have felt in the wake of her passing.
In a heartfelt tribute to one of his closet friends, fellow Kiwi Richard Wilkins has written in the Daily Telegraph of his devastation.
His raw, honest and incredibly loving words are difficult to read — with his obvious love for his great friend shining through.
He writes:
“So … our gorgeous girl is gone. What a mind-numbing, gut-wrenching tragedy. Charlzie, Charley D, Daws, she of many nicknames (almost as many as she gave) has left us in unspeakable circumstances. Her friends and family are absolutely devastated knowing that the world has lost such a beautiful soul.”
Wilkins writes of how in her final hours she sat in his dressing room in Channel 9, and spoke of her ex-husband Scott Miller and reflected upon his interview the week beforehand with 60 Minutes.
On the day of the 60 Minutes interview she had tweeted:
“Hoping Scott Miller a man I loved very much can recover & become a great dad to jack. So sad @60Mins.”
But it seems that the interview rocked Charlotte Dawson.
Richard Wilkins told the Daily Telegraph, “We were talking a lot about Scott’s interview … which had raised a lot of stuff for her.”
He says she told him, ‘I hope to hell he was smart enough to do a deal for a follow-up story when he’s better’.
In his tribute, Wilkins recalls how he and Charlotte Dawson shared an office many years ago when they both worked on Channel 9’s Today Show.
“We shared an office and had a ball. My belly chortle and her raucous laugh filling every corner of our little world.”
News Limited report that police are investigating Charlotte Dawson’s Twitter account for any abusive messages she may have received.
Wilkins also wrote of her struggle with the trolls who hounded her.
“I wish to God she’d taken everyone’s advice and just cancelled her Twitter account or thrown away her phone. But sadly she was addicted to all the drama and, of course, there was a never-ending supply of that.”
Charlotte Dawson’s sister has now arrived in Sydney to finalise her funeral arrangements.
Our thoughts are with her family and friends.
For more on the tragic death of Charlotte Dawson, read Bec Sparrow’s post here.
If this post brings up issues for you, or you just need someone to talk to, please call Lifeline on 131 114. You can also visit the Lifeline website here and the Beyond Blue website here.
Top Comments
I think when it comes to the definition of bullying people get confused. Its the relentless pursuit of a target. Its why society really needs to have a serious discussion and say its not okay. And the laws need to adapt and change to an ever changing landscape. And these laws need to be enforced to send out the message that if you do this, there are consequences because bullying can and does inflict great emotional turmoil upon a victim.
I don't want to be so arrogant as to suggest I know more than Richard Wilkins about his friend who he dearly loved. I would however, like to express some thoughts in response to his statement about being "addicted to all the drama".
I wonder if Ms Dawson's twitter activism became a symptom of her illness. I have found that people who continue to be high achievers while battling chronic depression, often fight passionately for worthy causes. I think it helps keep them focused (among other things). Unfortunately, this focus can turn into obsessive thinking before they even realise they are in danger. Once they do realise, they have already passed the point where they can easily combat the compulsion and it's a real struggle to let go and manage the intrusive thoughts. I imagine it would be even harder when the fight was for more than just a cause, but for her very own sense of self. If her friends think she was being dramatic, then I think she truly was alone.