Graham Thorpe’s widow claims England legend would still be alive if cricket world helped him

At the inquest into Thorpe's death, Coroner Jonathan Stevens concluded that the termination of his contract 'had a devastating effect on him'
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Graham Thorpe's widow believes that her husband would be alive today had the England and Wales Cricket Board offered more support after his dismissal in 2022.
Amanda Thorpe branded the governing body's response as "woeful", despite the ECB providing 10 online counselling sessions and extending his medical insurance for three months after his departure.
The former England batsman and assistant coach took his own life in August 2024, two-and-a-half years after losing his position following England's 4-0 Ashes defeat in Australia.
Mrs Thorpe said: "If he'd had just a little bit of the support framework there to lean on a bit to just transition a bit more, it would have made all the difference."
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The ECB's support package following Thorpe's dismissal included 10 online counselling sessions, arranged as a three-month extension of his employee medical insurance.
However, a month after his sacking in March 2022, the counsellor delivering these sessions made a written recommendation to Thorpe's GP that he should receive in-person care at a residential facility.
This recommended treatment never materialised.
Mrs Thorpe told Talksport: "As he went through these sessions, it was clear that he wasn't coping. He was getting worse."

Graham Thorpe, the former England batsman and assistant coach, took his own life in August 2024
|PA
She added: "We really did ask for help. I knew he needed more help than that. And, it wasn't forthcoming."
The counsellor has said that she is legally unable to provide any further details about who was informed of the residential care recommendation.
The ECB has not commented on whether it was aware of this suggestion or whether Thorpe's extended health insurance could have covered such treatment.
In May 2022, six sessions into the counselling programme, Thorpe made a serious attempt on his life that led to a fortnight of intensive care.
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Graham Thorpe's widow believes that her husband would be alive today had the England and Wales Cricket Board offered more support
|PA
Following this crisis, the ECB funded a four-week stay at a north London hospital for neuro-rehabilitation.
Mrs Thorpe viewed this intervention as the governing body only providing necessary support when her husband was "five minutes from death".
By the end of 2022, the ECB offered Thorpe a potential scouting role for England, which Mrs Thorpe described as "tragic" timing.
He explained: "It was too late, basically, after the crisis in May 2022, he was very ill. He nearly lost his life. He had a stroke. We don't know how that affected his brain after that."

In May 2022, Thorpe made a serious attempt on his life that led to a fortnight of intensive care
|PA
At the inquest into Thorpe's death, Coroner Jonathan Stevens concluded that the termination of his contract "had a devastating effect on him" because he "had lost his cricket family".
The coroner found "shortcomings" in the care Thorpe received from health professionals in his final months, but concluded he could not "find any criticism in the ECB's decision to terminate his contract".
He noted the ECB had "funded treatment, hospital stays and extended his health treatment insurance".
An ECB spokesperson described Thorpe as "a deeply admired and much-loved person".

The ECB offered Thorpe a potential scouting role for England
|PA
They added: "His loss has been felt deeply across the cricketing community and far beyond, and our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with his wife Amanda, his children, and all those who loved him."
Mrs Thorpe revealed she met with the ECB following her husband's death but left in tears.
She explained her decision to speak publicly: "I don't have a husband who needs to work in cricket anymore...so I can speak up."
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