'Life gets dark': Mother running in Sydney Marathon in memory of dad

Natasha Littler, a 36-year-old nurse from Adelaide, is set to participate in the 42.2-kilometre Sydney Marathon this weekend in memory of her late father, Garry Rae. Garry passed away by suicide when Natasha was just seven years old, a tragic event that has left a deep impact on her life. She has run six marathons in Australia already, with the upcoming race holding immense personal significance.

Garry had served in the Royal Australian Air Force, which also contributed to his mental health struggles. Natasha's parents divorced when she was three, and she believes that the dissolution of her family further exacerbated her father's mental health issues. Now, Natasha is using the marathon to raise funds for Beyond Blue, a mental health charity, and to promote awareness of the issue.

She emphasizes the importance of mental health support for men, noting that in the past, many men were discouraged from speaking about their struggles, which has led to an ongoing stigma.

According to Beyond Blue, around 5 million Australians suffer from anxiety or depression, and last year, over 300,000 people reached out to the Beyond Blue Support Service. Natasha has already raised nearly $2,500 for the charity through the Sydney Marathon's Grassrootz fundraising page. She and her husband traveled to Sydney on Thursday to join their friends for the race, which starts at 6:15am on Sunday.

The marathon is one of the events in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series, which takes place in seven locations worldwide, including Tokyo and London. More than 40,000 runners and elite wheelchair athletes from 140 countries will participate in the event, which is expected to draw 125,000 spectators. Natasha hopes her three children — Ryan, Caleb, and Spencer — will watch the marathon's livestream with their grandmother.

She wants to be a role model for her children, encouraging them to be healthy and active, and hopes that by sharing her experience with mental health, she can help break down the stigma surrounding the issue.