Growing up, Australian Survivor contestant Tara Pitt was daddy’s little girl. When her father Rod committed suicide last year, the loss was too much to bear.
“It was tough,” Tara, 32, tells TV WEEK. “It’s a strange feeling to think you’re never going to see him again.
“Dad was in the army for about 20 years, but depression got to him. He was always my hero and I accepted him for who he was.”
Rod, 60, suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
“I’m blessed my family and friends were there to help me get through this tough period,” Tara says.
“But some people don’t have that, so I want to get the message out there and ask: are you OK?”
Tara with her late dad, Rod
Tara also turned to Mates4Mates, a foundation that offers support to injured and ill Australian Defence Force personnel.
“I found Mates4Mates when dad passed away,” Tara explains. “I wish he’d found them too.”
At the time of her dad’s passing, the first season of the revived Australian Survivor had just started.
“The show really was a distraction for me,” Tara reveals, adding it was the reason she decided to apply.
“It helped me get through that period.”
So what would Rod think of her being on the show?
“No doubt he would say, ‘Kick a—, Bub – show them what you’ve got,’” she says.
R U OK? Day is on September 14. For more information, visit ruok.org.au.
