Barry Du Bois has opened up about losing a lifelong friend to suicide, sharing the emotional news in a video message, urging others to look out for those who might be struggling.
The Living Room host posted the video on Instagram on Tuesday night, saying the news left him shaken.
“G’day everyone, I’ve got some sad news,” Du Bois said.
“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 loss was a powerful reminder of how many men are silently suffering.
Du Bois has always been open about his own mental health battles. He is an ambassador for R U OK? Day and Heart on My Sleeve, two groups that support mental health awareness.
He has also backed the new campaign “I’m Not Okay”, which encourages people to speak up during tough times.
“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 signs like pulling away from usual activities, losing interest in things, frustration, or any change in behaviour.
“The thing is, don’t wait for a crisis,” Du Bois said. “Reach out and ask the question, ‘are you okay?'”
Speaking directly to men, he said struggling is normal and asking for help is a brave thing to do.
“It’s normal to struggle, and to ask for help is brave. It’s brave to say, ‘I’m not okay’,” he said.
“Life is precious. Connection matters. Stay alert. Stay empathetic. Stay engaged.”
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He reminded his followers that even just being there for someone can make a difference, and that they’re not alone.
“There’s light at the end of the tunnel.”
Speaking to Sky News Australia, Du Bois said learning to share his pain helped him through some of his darkest moments, including the loss of his mum to cancer in 2004, a near fatal 14-metre fall that left him with a serious back injury, years of failed IVF, a miscarriage, his wife Leonie’s cancer diagnosis, and his own fight with incurable blood cancer.
Despite the challenges, Du Bois says he feels lucky to live a full life as a 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.
He now uses his platform to inspire others and calls himself a “modern-day elder” who wants to build strength 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 for his kindness, saying: “There are very few people with a heart as big as his. He genuinely cares.”
“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 added that the new campaign is the next step in how Australia talks about mental health.
“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.”
Images: Instagram
