'Life is precious': Channel 10 star Barry Du Bois reveals heartbreaking loss after close friend's death in raw Instagram post

Sky News AU

2 days ago

Beloved Channel 10 star Barry Du Bois has shared a devastating message with fans, revealing a lifelong friend had recently taken his own life.
The Living Room co-host spoke candidly in an Instagram video on Tuesday evening, opening up about the news that left him shaken.
"G'day everyone, I've got some sad news," Du Bois began.
"Last week, I was living a very, very normal day, right up until it wasn't. I got a call from a close friend with news that shook me to the core.
"One of our mates, someone I've known my whole life, had decided to end his life. A strong, beautiful man. A dad, a husband, and a friend."
The 65-year-old father-of-two said the tragedy was a stark reminder of the silent battles many men face.
Du Bois, who has long spoken openly about his own mental health struggles, is a proud ambassador and board member for R U OK? Day, and an ambassador of Heart on My Sleeve.
He has thrown his support behind the movement's latest campaign, I'm Not Okay, which encourages people to share openly during times of distress.
"I just want to speak really plainly here. We simply must always be vigilant. Always look out for those small changes in the ones that we care about," he said.
He listed warning signs such as withdrawal from usual activities, a loss of interest, frustration, or any subtle indication that something is wrong.
"The thing is, don't wait for a crisis," Du Bois urged.
"Reach out and ask the question, 'are you okay?'"
Turning directly to men, he reinforced the importance of speaking up.
"It's normal to struggle, and to ask for help is brave. It's brave to say, 'I'm not okay'," he said.
He also reminded others never to underestimate the power of simply being present with loved ones.
"Life is precious. Connection matters. Stay alert. Stay empathetic. Stay engaged," he said.
"I promise you, you're not alone- and there's light at the end of the tunnel."
Speaking to SkyNews.com.au, Du Bois said learning to share his own pain was what helped lift him from some of his darkest moments.
He has undebiably faced more hardship than most: the loss of his mother to bowel and breast cancer in 2004, a near-fatal 14-metre fall that left him with a debilitating back injury, years of unsuccessful IVF, a miscarriage, his wife Leonie's cervical cancer diagnosis, and his own battle with an incurable blood cancer.
But despite the setbacks, Du Bois has defied the odds, living a fulfilling life as a proud husband and father to 13-year-old twins Bennett and Arabella.
"I know personally, when you realise that people will support you, that's when your journey out of that darkness starts to happen," he said.
Now using his platform to inspire others, he describes himself as a "modern-day elder" determined to build resilience in the community.
"It's our duty to be as curious and to be as aware of how we can strengthen society," he said.
Heart on My Sleeve founder Mitch Wallis praised Du Bois' authenticity and compassion.
"There are very few people with a heart as big as his. He genuinely cares," Wallis told SkyNews.com.au.
"He has been on the board of R U OK? for a long time, and is probably now the only Australian who straddles, at an operational level, both organisations that are completing the holistic conversation we're now having as part of I'm Not Okay.
"His work in this space couldn't be more genuine. He's a great guy and I'm super proud to have him on board."
Wallis emphasised that the 'I'm Not Okay' campaign is "a natural extension to a conversation Australia has been having for a while now".
"We've gotten better at checking in on others as part of the R U OK? movement," he said.
"To complement that, we're asking people who are struggling to put their own hand up, come forward, seek help, and be real about how they feel."
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