Clifford "Cliff" Robinson, a 51-year-old gym owner and father of five, died by suicide on July 31, just two days before he was scheduled to see a psychologist. His wife, Laini Robinson, stated that her husband had been seeking help for long-running mental health challenges.

Robinson's mental health declined significantly about a year prior to his death when the CrossFit gym he co-owned with his wife was forced to close, leading to financial difficulties. He spent the following year in and out of the local hospital's mental health unit while working as a FIFO (fly-in, fly-out) miner to support his family.

Despite his ongoing struggles, his death came as a shock to loved ones. "I just wish we had a different outcome," Laini Robinson told the Daily Mail. "Losing the gym was a big blow for Cliff as it was unexpected. From there, he got progressively worse. He tried to get help."

His wife noted that Robinson had always been resilient, making his final decision even more unexpected. The day before his death, he had picked up his wife and their autistic son, Cliffy, 24, from the airport. The family had returned from the U.S. where Cliffy had competed in the CrossFit Adaptive Games World championships. They celebrated his son's fourth-place finish with a family party on July 30, only for Robinson to die the following afternoon.

During Robinson's funeral last month, Laini Robinson spoke about his lifelong struggles, noting that he had experienced significant adversity and trauma from a young age. "There was physical, emotional and mental pain, and battles that weren't always visible to those around him," she told mourners. "He fought a long and incredibly hard fight, but through so much of it he maintained his sense of humour, his ability to laugh at life and his determination to keep moving forward."

Laini Robinson has called for a significant overhaul of what she described as a "broken" mental health system, emphasizing that Cliff would not want others to experience similar outcomes. The couple also founded Hydr8tion N8tion, a movement focused on hydration and exercise.

A fundraiser established to help ease the family's financial burden has raised nearly $6,000, which Ms. Robinson stated would assist with immediate funeral expenses and debts while awaiting the release of her husband's superannuation.