Dolly Everett’s grieving parents have offered seven tell-tale warning signs a teenager might be at risk of suicide, three years after their daughter took her own life.
Fourteen-year-old Dolly was at home on her family’s cattle ranch near Katherine in the Northern Territory when she committed suicide in January 2018.
Her parents, Tick and Kate Everett, and older sister Meg had no idea she was suffering.
Dolly was being bullied at her boarding school and, looking back, her parents acknowledge there were changes in her behaviour that they’d put down to ‘being a teenager’ before her tragic death.
Fourteen-year-old Dolly was at home on her family’s cattle ranch near Katherine in the Northern Territory when she ended her life in January 2018
Her parents, Tick and Kate Everett, and older sister Meg had no idea she had been suffering
She stopped participating in all of the sports she loved – a decision her father says was clearly out of character.
‘She was sport mad whether it was cricket, rugby, running, hurdles, whatever, she was a fit, active girl and then that sort of stopped for a while, there was a big break in it, she wasn’t keen on doing it,’ he told The Courier Mail.
‘Now the more I think about it she wanted to do it but she didn’t want whatever negativity was coming from it or the body shaming or the crude comments or whatever.’
Mr Everett said looking back, it should have been clear Dolly still wanted to participate given she’d often wear her rugby shorts or training clothes, even while lounging around the house.
Dolly (right with her parents and older sister) was struggling at school and was subjected to bullying. Her parents are hoping to raise awareness about the warning signs
Dolly was being bullied at her boarding school and, looking back, her parents acknowledge there were changes in behaviour that they’d put down to ‘being a teenager’ before her tragic death
In addition to this, her relationship with technology changed.
Some days she’d be secretive and possessive about her phone and what she was doing on it, but then other times she’d switch it off all together and steer clear of it.
On one occasion, as Dolly and her mother were driving into town, the 14-year-old’s phone began incessantly pinging.
They had limited reception on their remote ranch, so Dolly’s phone appeared to be playing catch up as soon as they were within range.
The teenager ‘stiffened up’ and froze.
When prompted, she assured her mother that nothing was amiss, but looking back Mrs Everett wishes she ‘pulled over to the side of the road’ and insisted they talk about it.
Kate and Tick hope that by sharing Dolly’s experience with bullying and the toll it had on her mental health, they may be able to help other teens and their families
Dolly also lost some of her trademark humour in the months leading to her death, her dad revealed.
A bush kid through-and-through, Dolly was known for always having a witty one liner and never shied away from banter, but Mr Everett says looking back, she ‘seemed to lose that for a little bit there’.
The family put it down to her boarding school and assumed she’d stemmed the jokes to fit in with kids who might not have appreciated her sense of humour on campus.
Dolly’s friendship circle seemed to regularly change and influence her moods, her mother said, while her eating habits were always different upon immediately returning home for school holidays.
In the wake of her death, the Everett family started anti-bullying organisation Dolly’s Dream
A bush kid through-and-through, Dolly was known for always having a witty one liner and never shied away from banter, but Tick says looking back, she ‘seemed to lose that for a little bit there’
Mr and Mrs Everett hope that by sharing Dolly’s experience with bullying and the toll it had on her mental health, they may be able to help other teens and their families.
In the wake of her death, the Everett family started anti-bullying organisation Dolly’s Dream.
They host an annual Do It For Dolly Day to promote kindness and inspire discussion among families and friends about mental health awareness.
Participants are encouraged to wear blue – Dolly’s favourite colour – and learn about the common signs of bullying.
‘There’s so many factors that may have changed the outcome for Dolly,’ Kate said.
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The family host an annual Do It For Dolly Day to promote kindness and inspire discussion among families and friends about mental health awareness. Participants are encouraged to wear blue – Dolly’s favourite colour – and learn about the common signs of bullying