Telethon: Grieving mum speaks out after teenage daughter’s final letter highlights mental health crisis

WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT Amberly Lynch’s dad arrived home two years ago, he found a letter from his daughter on the front door telling him that she loved him, that she was sorry, and not to come in. Inside, there was another note from his teenage daughter telling her family that she loved them too. She wrote that her death was not their doing, but hers alone. “And that’s really hard because I just wish that kid could have a few more minutes and hoped whatever she was feeling would have passed — I had no idea how much Amberly was suffering,” her mother, Jane Windeyer, explained on Friday. Amberly was a beautiful young woman who had just celebrated her 18th birthday and had her whole life ahead of her when she took her own life on March 12, 2023. Her heartbroken mum bravely told her daughter’s story — and of the grief that has consumed her ever since — to a crowd of 650 people at the Telethon giving celebration breakfast, where the 161 beneficiaries that will receive crucial funding this year were unveiled. Ms Windeyer said it was a story she hoped she didn’t have to share, wishing Amby was still by her side. But she said it was important to publicly share her daughter’s mental health struggles in a bid to stop other families going through the same heartache. “I never imagined this gorgeous young kid that was so full of life and so confident and happy did not actually like who she was,” she said. “I cry. I’m not ashamed to let my tears be and I go for walks to try and just help my own mental health and talk to Amberly.” It has been two years since Amberly died but Ms Windeyer said she is reminded of her daughter every day. That included during last year’s Telethon, when she saw 1000 children from across WA sing Choir by Guy Sebastian. “Choir by Guy Sebastian was her and my song,” Ms Windeyer said. “I did it hear it on Telethon and seeing those beautiful young faces in that song with Guy, it was beautiful. “I’ve got to say it also hurt because that was her song and my song and now she’s the one dancing and singing in heaven.” There was barely a dry eye in the room when Ms Windeyer finished with one final call to action — keep talking about mental health. “Lets create hope for our youth,” she said. “We all need hope, I still need hope and I think that’s what keeps me going — hope for a better day, a much better world for our children. “Let’s equip them with toolboxes and just talk about mental health because I really don’t want another Amberly or another family like ours. “We need to raise awareness and continue with education so that we can have prevention and to keep talking, because if we don’t talk, then young people don’t realise that it’s OK to talk about mental health. “We need to encourage that because it can be a really dark journey so everyone in this room can just be a beacon of light for them.” More than 30 of this year’s Telethon beneficiaries do work to support young West Australians with their mental health. Lifeline is among them, with funding from Telethon going towards its digital crisis support platform, which provides a safe space for young people to chat through their feelings and not have to go through their darkest times alone. “It’s our goal to be there for people like Amberly,” Lifeline WA team leader Anneka Swan said. “And so through our digital crisis support platform team we support many young people who are having thoughts of suicide as for many reaching out through text and chat can feel safer and a more accessible way to seek support,” “Last year, a significant number of help seekers through our digital platform were under the age of 16 years old, which is a super valuable and important reminder that mental health challenges don’t come with age limits.” Last year, a record-breaking $83.3 million was raised, which will be used to support 3924 pieces of equipment and 305 grants to help vulnerable children across the State. More than $688 million has been raised at Telethon since its inception in 1968. The highly anticipated 2025 Telethon weekend will take place on October 18-19 at RAC Arena. Lifeline: 13 11 14