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News colleagues shocked by suicide

Colleagues of Charmaine Dragun have been stunned by the death of the respected newsreader, who took her own life late on Friday afternoon.

Dragun’s body was found by police at The Gap in Sydney.

“It’s completely unexpected. No one had any idea how sad she must have been,” said TEN newsreader Deborah Knight.

Co-presenter Tim Webster, who presents the Perth bulletin produced in Sydney said, “She was going great, we thought. It is indescribably sad.”

According to livenews.com.au friends have confirmed Dragun suffered long-term depression and had recently changed medication. She is known to have sent a text message to a friend warning of what she was about to do. “The friend called the police, who were already on their way to the Gap,” said a colleague.

Police were on their way to the site but arrived too late.

Deborah Knight added that Dragun was always concerned for the welfare of others. “That’s why people are now wondering if we should have taken more interest in what was going on in her life. There is a deep sadness from the newsroom about that.”

Jim Carroll, Ten’s head of news, told staff about Dragun’s death shortly after her body was found at 4pm, saying it was “the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do”.

Sources: The Age
Sydney Morning Herald

4 Responses

  1. I was shocked when I heard the news. She always seemed so vibrant and bubbly. But then again I have a friend who’s really bubbly and she’s seemed really depressed lately. 🙁

    My sincerest condolences to Charmaine’s family, friends and colleages. It’s a shame we lost her when her career was only just beginning.

    Rest in peace, Charmaine.

  2. real pity, so sad

    but re media- as usual the media close ranks on news of passing of one of its own-no comments on why “out of respect for family”

    when are we going to understand the ‘d’ word(depression) is not a dirty word?
    if we spoke about it more like it was cancer or heart disease there would be more communication and we could understand it better-but no, lets sweep it under the carpet and hope for the best-well, we as society in general should partly feel responsible because of the stigma we attach to it

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