Lessons can be learnt from Peaches Geldof's Death
WARNING: The following content is sensitive and can be found triggering to those suffering from, recovering from or have recovered from health problems such as depression or suicidal thoughts and those recovering/recovered from problems surrounding drug abuse.
It was a sad case of affairs when the death of Peaches Geldof was announced back in April. The tv presenter and model mum-of-two was found in her home having overdosed on heroin, relapsing after a 4 month period of being 'clean'. The death was originally ruled as 'sudden' and 'not suspicious' but 4 months on coroners found this to be untrue, with the dose that ended Peaches life being discovered in a box of sweets next to her bed, and a further £550 worth of high purity heroin being found in a cupboard in the family home. As expected, the death of Peaches bought the death of her mother back to the surface, and many people are calling it a 'sad case of history repeating itself'.
But should history really have had the opportunity to repeat itself? Peaches father, Bob Geldof, is a well renowned political activist and is famous for having started Live Aid, his appeal to help people living in poverty in Ethiopia. Successful, thoughtful and commendable. However, it appears that the Irish singer-songwriter should have focused more on the problems closer to home than the problems affecting a country miles away. If he had, one cant help but wonder if the fate of both Peaches and Paula would've turned out differently.
Of course, even if Bob had focused more on his daughters problems, it may not have made a difference, as a close friend of Peaches has said that the pair did not have a "close relationship" and in fact Peaches was closer with the parents of her husband, Tom. The friend, Michele, was a fellow member of a parenting group that Peaches had joined, and the pair frequently met up with play dates for their younger children. Michele described Peaches as 'loved by everyone' and 'bubbly'. So if Peaches was surrounded by a loving family, family-in-law and friends, how is it that no one noticed Peaches' problems, or her drug relapse?
Reportedly, husband Tom had been aware of Peaches initial relapse back in November, discovering her stash and flushing it down the toilet. She was believed to have been clean since then. Michele said that Peaches 'clearly missed her mother', and many are looking at Peaches death as an end to the grieving for her mother, Paula Yates, who also died of a heroin overdose.
Whilst the death of Peaches has surprised everyone, as well as upset many, I can't help but regard it as a little selfish. As a mother of 2, with the youngest being less than one, not only is it disgraceful to take drugs at all but even worse to keep them in the family home, not even locked away or stashed on a high shelf out of reach of the children. Although Peaches did not intend to overdose (as far as we know...) it is deeply disturbing that once she had done, her youngest child was left totally alone for 17 hours. Furthermore, taking drugs whilst being the sole parent looking after her children is completely irresponsible. Rather than sit with her children, playing with them, reading to them etc. she chose to sit upstairs injecting herself.
If this had been an ordinary woman, from an ordinary family, she would be receiving huge amounts of abuse. The father would probably have the children taken away for fear he too was a drug addict. The normal woman definitely would not be getting sympathy and loving messages sent her way. Peaches may have been a celebrity whose father is seen as a peaceful, world-saving man, but this doesn't excuse her behavior. Selfish, illegal and irresponsible, there is no reason to feel sorry for Peaches and all that she went through- realistically, hundreds of others go through the same problems, and worse, every single day.
A lot of celebs spend too much time trying to save the world, when they should be solving the problems a little closer to home. I hope Bob, and many others, learn from this mistake.
Love from,
Florence Grace
Disagree? Have something to say? Leave a comment below or contact me using one of the links in the sidebar!
It was a sad case of affairs when the death of Peaches Geldof was announced back in April. The tv presenter and model mum-of-two was found in her home having overdosed on heroin, relapsing after a 4 month period of being 'clean'. The death was originally ruled as 'sudden' and 'not suspicious' but 4 months on coroners found this to be untrue, with the dose that ended Peaches life being discovered in a box of sweets next to her bed, and a further £550 worth of high purity heroin being found in a cupboard in the family home. As expected, the death of Peaches bought the death of her mother back to the surface, and many people are calling it a 'sad case of history repeating itself'.
But should history really have had the opportunity to repeat itself? Peaches father, Bob Geldof, is a well renowned political activist and is famous for having started Live Aid, his appeal to help people living in poverty in Ethiopia. Successful, thoughtful and commendable. However, it appears that the Irish singer-songwriter should have focused more on the problems closer to home than the problems affecting a country miles away. If he had, one cant help but wonder if the fate of both Peaches and Paula would've turned out differently.
Of course, even if Bob had focused more on his daughters problems, it may not have made a difference, as a close friend of Peaches has said that the pair did not have a "close relationship" and in fact Peaches was closer with the parents of her husband, Tom. The friend, Michele, was a fellow member of a parenting group that Peaches had joined, and the pair frequently met up with play dates for their younger children. Michele described Peaches as 'loved by everyone' and 'bubbly'. So if Peaches was surrounded by a loving family, family-in-law and friends, how is it that no one noticed Peaches' problems, or her drug relapse?
Reportedly, husband Tom had been aware of Peaches initial relapse back in November, discovering her stash and flushing it down the toilet. She was believed to have been clean since then. Michele said that Peaches 'clearly missed her mother', and many are looking at Peaches death as an end to the grieving for her mother, Paula Yates, who also died of a heroin overdose.
Whilst the death of Peaches has surprised everyone, as well as upset many, I can't help but regard it as a little selfish. As a mother of 2, with the youngest being less than one, not only is it disgraceful to take drugs at all but even worse to keep them in the family home, not even locked away or stashed on a high shelf out of reach of the children. Although Peaches did not intend to overdose (as far as we know...) it is deeply disturbing that once she had done, her youngest child was left totally alone for 17 hours. Furthermore, taking drugs whilst being the sole parent looking after her children is completely irresponsible. Rather than sit with her children, playing with them, reading to them etc. she chose to sit upstairs injecting herself.
If this had been an ordinary woman, from an ordinary family, she would be receiving huge amounts of abuse. The father would probably have the children taken away for fear he too was a drug addict. The normal woman definitely would not be getting sympathy and loving messages sent her way. Peaches may have been a celebrity whose father is seen as a peaceful, world-saving man, but this doesn't excuse her behavior. Selfish, illegal and irresponsible, there is no reason to feel sorry for Peaches and all that she went through- realistically, hundreds of others go through the same problems, and worse, every single day.
A lot of celebs spend too much time trying to save the world, when they should be solving the problems a little closer to home. I hope Bob, and many others, learn from this mistake.
Love from,
Florence Grace
Disagree? Have something to say? Leave a comment below or contact me using one of the links in the sidebar!
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