A heartbroken dad took his own life after the sudden loss of his twins.
Having struggled to conceive for years, Adam Edwards was elated when he found out his wife Lucy was expecting.
Their joy would soon turn to tragedy though after their precious infants - who they named Penny Christine and James Robert - were delivered stillborn earlier this year.
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Their journey to become parents started a decade ago, with the couple later undergoing IVF in a desperate bid to have a child.
However, their dreams finally became a reality after they discovered they were expecting twins in February.
Despite their excitement, the Perth parents waited for two months to share the joyful news with their loved ones and even joked in their Facebook announcement about being ‘shocked’.
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Describing their little ones as ‘rainbows’, Lucy gushed about meeting her ‘perfect babies’ later in the year.
It wasn’t meant to be though, and their joy would soon turn into sorrow.
The twins arrived in July at just 21 weeks old and tragically, both were stillborn.
As they grieved, Adam hid how he struggled to cope with the loss of James and Penny, with his mental health battle only amplified by the long periods he’d spend away from home working in a remote BHP mine.
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It was there that the heartbroken dad would take his own life, leaving his wife devastated by the additional loss.
Sharing the tragic news on social media, Lucy uploaded a photograph of the dotting dad with his beloved twins and called their marriage ‘the privilege and joy’ of her life.
The grieving mum added: “I would do anything for one last kiss, one last hug or one last day. Please take care of our babies.”
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Following her husband’s tragic death, Lucy’s loved ones have set up a fundraising page to help pay for funeral costs.
The 30-year-old has also encouraged men to seek support after losing a child.
“When a fit and healthy young man like Adam dies suddenly and unexpectedly, it is natural for people to assume it was the result of a long battle with mental illness," she explained the Daily Mail Australia.
Continuing, she added: "But this wasn’t the case with my beloved husband of four years. Over these past few unimaginable months of grief and loss, Adam was my rock.
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"While all I can do is face my unbearable sadness one day at a time, my hope is that other families can be spared the heartache and pain that I and Adam’s family are now experiencing..."
If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123
If you need support and advice following a pregnancy loss, you can contact the Tommy’s team at [email protected]. You can also call them for free on 0800 014 7800 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
Topics: Parenting, Mental Health
Katherine Sidnell