Peter Helliar Has Opened Up About His Friend’s Suicide In An Emotional Segment On ‘The Project’
"I wish he knew that, for the rest of my life, just how much I'll miss my friend."
Peter Helliar has opened up about the suicide of one of his close friends, calling on people to “keep talking” and “keep listening” to their loved ones about mental illness in an emotional segment on The Project.
The following article discusses suicide
The ordinarily jovial comedian struggled to remain composed as he introduced the pre-recorded segment about his former Triple M breakfast radio co-host Richard Marsland, who took his own life in 2008 at the age of just 32.
“Rich was always smiling,” recalled Helliar. “I thought he was always happy. But I was wrong.”
The segment contains interviews with a number of Marsland’s friends and family members, including Sunrise weather presenter Sam Mac, who told Helliar he still goes over old conversations in his mind, looking for a sign that something was wrong.
“You try to think, could I potentially have helped in some way,” said Mac. “It’s still very raw. And it all comes back when you start talking about it. But I had no idea.”
The segment highlights statistics around suicide in Australia, with Helliar revealing that 200 Australians attempt to take their own lives each day.
“Sadly, this dark fog that consumed Richard wouldn’t allow him to reach out to people like me,” said Helliar. “I wish just once he could have found a way to share his pain with me and those around him. I wish he knew, for the rest of my life, just how much I’ll miss my friend.”
Helliar was in tears following the segment; telling co-hosts Waleed Aly, Carrie Bickmore and Chrissie Swan that Marsland was “so loved and so missed”.
“It was so invisible,” he said. “He was the happiest person we knew. Career was going great. When I got the call, the morning I was told about it, my manager said, ‘they found Richard’s body,’ and I thought he had been murdered, just because it was so far from what I thought could possibly happen.”
You can watch the whole segment below.
We’ve come a long way when it comes to our understanding of mental illness. Yet every day, on average, eight Australians still take their lives. And even years later, families and friends are left hurting. Thanks to @pjhelliar for sharing this powerful story. pic.twitter.com/LA5mN5Zegm
— The Project (@theprojecttv) July 30, 2019
If you or anyone you know needs help, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Headspace on 1800 650 890.