Latest news with #Joy
Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Disabled mum who ‘took own life' when her benefits were cut ‘left note saying she was unable to pay bills or buy food'
Letter was sent to mum's home but she was receiving hospital treatment TRAGIC END Disabled mum who 'took own life' when her benefits were cut 'left note saying she was unable to pay bills or buy food' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A DISABLED mum took her own life when her benefits were slashed after she was unable to buy food or pay her bills, an inquest heard. Jodey Whiting, 42, was discovered dead in her flat in Stockton-on-Tees in February 2017 by her family members. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Jodey Whiting took her own life when her benefits were slashed, an inquest heard Credit: PA An initial inquest recorded a verdict of suicide but did not consider the impact of the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) cutting her benefits. Jodey had been asked to attend a work capability assessment before her death but was unable to attend after falling ill with pneumonia. As a result, the mum-of-nine's payments were stopped and she later received a letter saying she was fit to work. In notes Jodey had written, which were found after her death, she spoke about not being able to pay her bills and having no food. Bridget Dolan KC, coroner's counsel, also said the mum revealed she "had enough". He added: "In some she wrote about feeling breathless and having back pain and trying to pay her bills and being in debt." An Independent Case Examiner (ICE) report into the decision found that a number of mistakes had been made and her payments should not have been withdrawn. A second inquest into her death is now being held after Jodey's mum Joy Dove fought for a further hearing. The court was told Jodey suffered from chronic pain, was dependent on opiates and had long-standing mental issues. In the final years of her life, she had become increasingly housebound. In December 2016, Jodey stayed in hospital after contracting pneumonia, which meant she missed letters about her benefits that said she needed to be medically assessed. Joy told the court she reassured her daughter they would write to the DWP and explain how she had been in unwell. But in January 2017, Jodey was told she had missed the medical assessment and was fit to work. Joy claimed by this point, Jodey could not breathe or walk out of her flat. She then received another letter from the DWP telling her that her benefits were being stopped, including her housing benefit and council tax. Joy said when she saw her daughter, two days before her death, she was "shaking and crying" and had threatened to kill herself. You're Not Alone EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You're Not Alone. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, 0800 585 858 Heads Together, HUMEN Mind, 0300 123 3393 Papyrus, 0800 068 41 41 Samaritans, 116 123 The mum told the inquest the stress of losing her benefits was the trigger for her to decide to take her own life. She added: "I know my daughter and I know it was (that). "It was the fact she couldn't find a job, the worry of paying bills and being pushed out after being so vulnerable all those years and years." Questioned by Jesse Nicholls, for the family, Joy added: "I know for a fact it was the DWP that caused it. "She was quite happy for me to go through and look after her. "There's no way it was anything other than that." The inquest continues. If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Disabled mum who ‘took own life' when her benefits were cut ‘left note saying she was unable to pay bills or buy food'
A DISABLED mum took her own life when her benefits were slashed after she was unable to buy food or pay her bills, an inquest heard. Jodey Whiting, 42, was discovered dead in her flat in Stockton-on-Tees in February 2017 by her family members. Advertisement 1 Jodey Whiting took her own life when her benefits were slashed, an inquest heard Credit: PA An initial inquest recorded a verdict of suicide but did not consider the impact of the Department for Work and Pensions ' (DWP) cutting her benefits. Jodey had been asked to attend a work capability assessment before her death but was unable to attend after falling ill with pneumonia. As a result, the mum-of-nine's payments were stopped and she later received a letter saying she was fit to work. In notes Jodey had written, which were found after her death, she spoke about not being able to pay her bills and having no food. Advertisement Bridget Dolan KC, coroner's counsel, also said the mum revealed she "had enough". He added: "In some she wrote about feeling breathless and having back pain and trying to pay her bills and being in debt." An Independent Case Examiner (ICE) report into the decision found that a number of mistakes had been made and her payments should not have been withdrawn. A second inquest into her death is now being held after Jodey's mum Joy Dove fought for a further hearing. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Breaking The court was told Jodey suffered from chronic pain, was dependent on opiates and had long-standing mental issues. In the final years of her life, she had become increasingly housebound. In December 2016, Jodey stayed in hospital after contracting pneumonia, which meant she missed letters about her benefits that said she needed to be medically assessed. Joy told the court she reassured her daughter they would write to the DWP and explain how she had been in unwell. Advertisement But in January 2017, Jodey was told she had missed the medical assessment and was fit to work. Joy claimed by this point, Jodey could not breathe or walk out of her flat. She then received another letter from the DWP telling her that her benefits were being stopped, including her housing benefit and council tax. Joy said when she saw her daughter, two days before her death, she was "shaking and crying" and had threatened to kill herself. Advertisement You're Not Alone EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, Heads Together, HUMEN Mind, Papyrus, Samaritans, The mum told the inquest the stress of losing her benefits was the trigger for her to decide to take her own life. She added: "I know my daughter and I know it was (that). "It was the fact she couldn't find a job, the worry of paying bills and being pushed out after being so vulnerable all those years and years." Questioned by Jesse Nicholls, for the family, Joy added: "I know for a fact it was the DWP that caused it. Advertisement "She was quite happy for me to go through and look after her. "There's no way it was anything other than that." Read more on the Irish Sun The inquest continues. If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123. Advertisement
India Gazette
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Elections will be an opportunity to prosecute Pinarayi govt": Kerala LoP VD Satheesan on Nilambur by-elections
Ernakulam (Kerala) [India], May 31 (ANI): Kerala Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress leader VD Satheesan on Friday said that the upcoming Nilambur by-election would be treated as an opportunity to hold the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government accountable. He also confirmed that the first phase of the campaign work has been completed. 'We have already launched the election campaign, and our conventions are also going on... We will take it as an opportunity to prosecute the Pinarai government...' Satheesan told ANI. He added that preparations began a month ago and that significant voter outreach had already been achieved. 'We have completed our first round of election work and started our preparation a month ago. A total of 10,000 voters are enrolled in the election, out of which we have enrolled 8000...' he further added. The Nilambur by-election is scheduled for June 19, with counting to be held on June 23. The election was necessitated following the resignation of PV Anvar, an LDF-backed MLA who stepped down in January after being appointed the Convenor of the Kerala unit of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Earlier, on May 25, Malappuram District Congress Committee (DCC) President VS Joy stated that the party's high command would finalise the candidate for the bypoll. Joy expressed confidence that the political climate in Malappuram heavily favoured the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). 'The high command will decide the candidate. The candidate is merely a technicality. The atmosphere in Malappuram is such that anyone who becomes the candidate will win,' Joy told reporters here. Meanwhile, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Sunny Joseph welcomed the announcement of the by-election and said it would serve as a referendum on the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government's performance. 'We welcome the declaration of the Nilambur byelection, though it is late. The UDF (United Democratic Front) and the Congress party are well prepared for the election... This election will be a verdict against the anti-people policies and programmes of the LDF (Left Democratic Front), their political atrocities, criminalisation of the police force, and the human-animal conflict being neglected by the government...' Joseph told ANI. (ANI)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Natalie Joy ‘Clocked' Passenger On Plane, And Says She Had A Very Good Reason
is not here for rude passengers. The model and wife of "Bachelor" alum is opening up about a tense but surprisingly humorous encounter with a fellow airline passenger who criticized the couple's 15-month-old daughter, River Rose, during a recent flight. On the latest episode of "The Viall Files" podcast, Natalie Joy recounted the moment she confronted a woman seated in front of them in business class after catching her texting complaints about their toddler. 'We've not left the gate, and I clocked the woman in front of me,' Joy began. 'Y'all know I love an eavesdrop phone read on an airplane.' Joy explained that although she initially thought the woman would be friendly, 'we made eye contact as we were boarding," things quickly took a turn once the woman pulled out her phone. According to Joy, River wasn't crying but was in a particularly 'talkative' mood. Still, that didn't stop the woman from taking issue with their child's presence in her personal texts. 'She starts typing to her friends, 'There's some young couple behind me in business class with their around-year-old kid screaming up a storm. The kind of people who think it's cute. They need to learn how to quiet their kid down,'' Joy claimed. That's when Joy couldn't help but notice a little something extra in the text, a spelling mistake. The woman had written 'there' instead of 'their.' 'As she's finishing her text, I lean up and tap her on the shoulder, and I said, 'It's t-h-e-i-r,'' Joy recalled, adding that the woman reacted with a slight huff and turned away without saying much else. But the moment didn't end there. 'She brings out her phone, same level, same brightness, same text size, and starts going, 'She just confronted me about a spelling error. She's reading my text from behind me. LOL. I respect it,'' Joy shared, visibly amused. In fact, Joy admitted she was ultimately 'impressed' by the woman's ability to take the moment in stride. 'She owned it. I have to give her credit for that,' she said. Meanwhile, Viall said he had no idea any of it was happening at the time. 'I was completely oblivious,' the new dad admitted on the podcast. The couple, who tied the knot in April 2024, welcomed River Rose just two months prior, in February. Since becoming parents, both Viall and Joy have been candid about their journey, including the heartbreak they've experienced. On the January 29 episode of "The Viall Files" podcast, the model shared that she was in the middle of a miscarriage. "I've been trying to be a good mom to River and come and do my job, whether it's on the podcast or on social media for the past week," Joy began, holding back tears. "And currently, as I sit here today, I'm actively miscarrying our second child, and it has been the biggest heartbreak, I think, of my life." Fighting through emotion, Joy reflected on how the loss has left her feeling hollow. "I've never experienced something where I feel so empty inside," she said before recalling her sister's experience with multiple miscarriages, twelve in total, and how it gave her perspective on the emotional toll that so many women face. "You feel sad and you wanna be there for these people," she said, "but you don't really know the loss that they feel until you go through it yourself." Joy, who has been candid in the past about both her motherhood experience and personal growth, shared that her heartbreak is amplified by the challenge of balancing grief with the joyful demands of parenting. "I want River to be able to watch this back and see her parents' love for her sibling that could have been here," she said. 'I just feel dead inside. And it sucks because I have to be so alive for River. You know? I have to be silly and goofy and funny and play with her.' Her voice breaking, Joy turned to Viall and admitted she felt torn between grieving and being present. 'And then I have this overwhelming guilt that when I'm with you, I can't also do that,' she said. 'I'm sad that the only version of me you get right now is this broken person, and I'm sorry for that.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'We're moving forward': Community building opening marks new chapter for Malden five years after fire
May 29—MALDEN, Wash. — Five years after wildfire devastated this small town, residents on Thursday celebrated the opening of a new community center. The $3.6 million facility includes a new library, food pantry with a walk-in freezer, and a community meeting room for events. Mayor Dan Harwood said the building's grand opening marked the beginning of a new future for Malden. "We want to remember the past and honor the past, but we're moving forward," Harwood said. Jim Jacobs, 93, was overcome with emotion over the new community building. "It is hard to believe," he said. "I mean, the whole town was devastated. For a town of this size, it just kind of overwhelms you that we could have this after all that happened." The home Jacobs and his late wife, Joy, built in the early 1990s was destroyed in the Babb Road fire. While he was among the first residents to have a new home built in Malden after the disaster, he still hopes to replicate what he can on his original lot. "After Joy died, you could never make me leave Malden again," he said. "I've got half of her house rebuilt now, and soon as I get enough money, I'm going to try to restore as much as I could. I'm here to stay, and I intend to try to get as much of her legacy built up as I can." There is much to be grateful for, Harwood said, despite the many challenges Malden has faced. No one died in the fire. Twenty-nine homes have been built out of the 67 that were destroyed. And the community has grown stronger through hardship. "Our community church is still standing today," Harwood said. 'People who don't think there's a higher power out there, think about that. There was no time to get out of town, and yet everyone was safe. Everybody did their job, and it was truly amazing." Chandelle Frick, director of the Pine Creek Community Restoration Long Term Recovery Organization, said she hopes the new community building will springboard Malden into increased economic development. "This event marks an important milestone in the ongoing revitalization of our town," she said. "We are especially excited about the walk-in coolers and freezers for the food bank, the high-speed fiber access in the library, and the event space where large groups can gather." The facility also has an outdoor amphitheater, playground and bathrooms with showers accessible from the outside. These amenities will assist visitors on the Malden Palouse-to-Cascades Trailhead, part of the Great American Rail-Trail that traverses the country, from Washington, D.C., to La Push, Washington. The library opened in January ahead of the community center's grand opening. Librarian Vanessa Place said the library is a source of stability for children who may not remember life before the fire. "Their house might be gone, or their neighbors, you know, might have been gone, but they still had the stability and the comfort of something they knew, and that is the library," Place said. U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner said the residents of Malden "represent the best of America." "When that catastrophic fire came through this community, the devastation that it caused would have made it easy just to kind of think that's the end of Malden," Baumgartner said. "But that's not what you did. You had a lot of resolve, and you came together as a community. You put aside a lot of differences and brought out the best of each other, and today we celebrate this wonderful community center." There is still more recovery needed. Before the fire, the small village had 230 residents. As of 2025, that number is down to 140, according to the mayor. Three families who lost homes in the fire have been unable to rebuild and have been living in recreational vehicles the past five years. "One of these families have three small children," Harwood said. "That's a wake-up call for us. That is something that needs to be changed, and it's up to everyone in this room to push that to happen." Donations to the community can be made at
