The A320 Airbus was en route to Düsseldorf, Germany, from Barcelona, Spain.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, confirmed that the two Australians were killed among the 150 passengers onboard.
“Sadly I can confirm that there were two Australian citizens on board, a mother and her adult son from Victoria,” she told the media. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families.”
The French President, Francois Hollande addressed the public explaining that a number of the passengers on the flight were likely to be German.
Relatives of passengers of the Germanwings plane create a makeshift memorial at the airport
“The conditions of the accident, which have not yet been clarified, lead us to think there are no survivors,” the President explained.
Officials have said the passengers are thought to include 67 Germans, one Belgian, one Dutch national and more than 40 Spanish people. The passenger manifest also included two babies.
Spanish officials have since reported that there were up to 45 Spanish passengers on the plane.
Amongst the victims were 16 students and two teachers from a high school in the small German town of Haltern, who had been in Barcelona for a Spanish language exchange program.
Relatives of passengers of the Germanwings plane create a makeshift memorial at the airport
Distraught classmates of the 16 victims have laid candles outside the Joseph-Koenig-Gymnasium school.
“It’s the darkest day in this town’s history,” the town mayor, Bodo Klimpel told Reuters.
“It’s the worst thing ever imaginable.”
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier flew over the site, describing it as “a picture of horror.”
“The grief of the families and friends is immeasurable. We must now stand together. We are united in our great grief”
Take a walk down memory lane and revisit some of your favourite stars from childhood to see what they’re up to (and what they look like) now!
Take a walk down memory lane and revisit some of your favourite stars from childhood to see what they’re up to (and what they look like) now!
Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer have reunited for the 50th anniversary of The Sound of Music!
The duo shared the same chemistry as they did back when they filmed the 1965 musical classic. We just adore Captain Von Trapp and Maria!
Remember Chris Noth aka Mr Big from Sex and the City!? He was undoubtedly one of the sexiest men on television!
Well Mr Big has aged! Chris Noth was spotted walking about in New York’s East Village looking a little worse for wear. But he’ll always be Mr Big to us!
Who could forget the greatest film ‘Twins’ ever- Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger have reunited!
Arnold Schwarzenegger reunited with his Twins costar Danny DeVito, onstage at the Golden Camera awards in Germany. Arnie received the International Lifetime Achievement honour, which was presented to him by Danny! The two pals exchanged a warm handshake, sharing a very special moment!
It’s Irene and Will reunited! Lynne McGranger recently had a reunion with her adopted Home and Away “son” played by Zac Brayson.
Remember trouble-making young Kevin Mcallister and his mum from the Home Alone movies in the 90s?
Speaking on US chat show ‘Watch What Happens Live’, Macauley Culkin’s screen-mum Catherine O’Hara recalls bumping into the childstar all grown-up: “I haven’t seen him for years and years, but I saw him two years ago — a year-and-a-half-ago? — at a Martin Mull art opening, and he was coming out, and he went, ‘Mummy!'” And I said, ‘Baby!'”
Catherine and Macauley’s real-life reunion sounds just like the moving on-screen reunion between mum and son at the end of the movies!
Kate Ritchie shared this beautiful photo Kate Ritchie with her Home & Away cast mates Isla Fisher, Debra Lawrence and Belinda Emmett to celebrate Debra’s win at the AACTA Awards. “THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL photo to me but I’m sure Debra Lawrance won’t mind me sharing it as a way of congratulating her on taking out the AACTA Awards for Best Performance in a Television Comedy this evening for her role in Josh Thomas’s internationally acclaimed Please Like Me. Well done! We love you. KR x”
Debra and Kate share a tight bond, with Debra playing Kate’s on-screen foster mum.
The cast of 90s classic sitcom Full House reunited and took the opportunity to belt out their own rendition of the show’s classic themetune “Everywhere you look”.
Amongst those who gathered to celebrate the birthday of show creator Jeff Franklin were: Bob Saget (Danny Tanner), John Stamos (Uncle Jesse), Lori Louglin (Aunt Becky), Candace Cameron Bure (D.J.), Jodie Sweetin (Stephanie) and Andrea Barber (Kimmy Gibbler), who shared some snaps from the event!
A flashback to Lori Loughlin who played Aunt Becky on Full House, posing with Jodie Sweetin who played Stephanie Candace Cameron Bure who played D.J. back when the show was at the peak of it’s fame – in the early 90s.
A look at the same three girls now – all grown up! Lori Loughlin (centre) posted this snap with the girls from the party.
Candace poses with her TV Dad, Bob Saget, who played Danny Tanner.
Lori Loughlin poses with John Stamos – aka Uncle Jesse – who is nowhere near as cool without his famous mullet!
Remember Baywatch Babe Yasmine Bleeth? She was spotted for the first time in years, back at the beach but ditching the red swimsuit for tie-dye trousers and a baggy sweater while her husband Paul Cerrito went on a sponsored charity swim.
The last time anyone heard from the former Baywatch babe was in 2001 when she was arrested for cocaine possession after crashing her car.
Since then it seems Yasmine has been laying low with various stints in rehab – but now she’s back at the beach again!
It was a high school reunion for Grease girls Olivia Newton-John and Didi Conn who reunited in Las Vegas!
They reprised their roles as Sandy & Frenchy on stage for the first time in nearly 40 years.
They reprised their roles as Sandy & Frenchy on stage for the first time in nearly 40 years.
Remember Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell, the stars from Prison Break?
The former co-stars are reuniting on the hit show, The Flash. DC Comics head Geoff Johns shared an exclusive photo of the two on Instagram!
Remember when Jack Black taught a group of school lids how to rock in the 2003 movie ‘School of Rock’?
Jack Black reunited with the cast last year – on the movie’s ten-year reunion, as the kids look all grown up!
Cast member Miranda Cosgrove shared these snaps to her Instagram of the cast at the original 2003 premiere of the film vs ten years later!
We can’t believe it’s been 43 years since the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory film was released.
Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) was just 38 when he filmed the family favourite musical. The ‘greatest inventor and maker of chocolates that there has ever been” is now 81.
Who could forget Charlie Bucket the very poor boy who lived with his Mother, Mrs. Bucket, and all his grandparents – Grampa Joe, Gramma Josephine, Grampa George and Gramma Georgina. The man who played Charlie, Peter Ostrum, is now 57.
And then there was Veruca Salt, the spoiled little girl from Buckinghamshire, England. Played by Julie Dawn Cole, Willy Wonka remains the now 57-year-old’s most famous role to date.
Mike Teevee was the fourth little boy to win a Golden Ticket to enter Wonka’s factory. The television guns and pistol fanatic was played by Paris Themmen who has since starred in a number of TV series including Star Trek Voyager. He is now 55.
Meet 57-year-old Denise Nickerson. She played Violet Beauregarde, the spoilt, competitive gum chewer in the movie.
These days Augustus Gloop (Michael Bollner) runs a successful accounting business in Munich, Germany. He is 56.
Remember this cheeky young con-woman known as Curly Sue from the 1991 movie of the same name?
Here she is now! Alisan Porter, now 33, is a mum and has been sober for seven years after struggling with alcoholism when she was younger and she’s also a blogger at [Lil’ Mamas](http://thelilmamas.com/).
Here she is now! Alisan Porter, now 33, is a mum and has been sober for seven years after struggling with alcoholism when she was younger and she’s also a blogger at Lil’ Mamas.
Alison is also now a recording artist and is releasing her first solo album in six years, titled ‘Who We Are’ – although she no longer acts.
The formerly curly-haired childstar is also now a mother of two to son Mason, 2½, and daughter Aria, 6 months.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 21 years since the beloved comedy, Mrs Doubtfire was released.
The kids of “Mrs. Doubtfire” are all grown up! Check out Matthew Lawrence aka Chris these days.
Actress Lisa Jakub is best known for her role as Lydia in the movie.
Mara Wilson played Robin Williams’ character’s youngest daughter Natalie in the comedy.
Who could forget the very talented Sally Field who played Miranda Hillard in the 1993 comedy.
One of Robin’s most popular films was Mrs Doubtfire that saw him dress in full drag as matronly English nanny with heavy prosthetic make-up for the majority of the movie. Sadly, Robin died in August this year. He was 63.
The Shawshank Redemption’ stars Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins recently reunited to celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary.
Sister Mary Robert was the quiet shy nun who found her voice as she starred alongside Whoopi Goldberg in the 1992 classic Sister Act.
Check out Sister Mary Robert now! Now in her 50s, Actress Wendy Makkena looks fantastic over 20 years on from when she first starred as a singing nun.
The cast of 10 Things I Hate About You have reunited.
Though this snap is missing the films two main stars, the late Heath Ledger and Julie Stiles, we still love it!
Remember Dawson, Joey, Pacey and Jen? We certainly do! Well, former Dawson’s Creek heartthrobs James Van Der Beak and Joshua Jackson recently bumped into each other while attending the same party.
After the surprise reunion, James aka Dawson Leery, shared this snap along with the caption: “The most pleasant run-ins can happen in the most unexpected places…”
The cast of Roseanne reunited on US talk show “The Talk” for Roseanne Barr’s 62nd birthday.
Sara Gilbert, who played Roseanne’s daughter Darlene on the show and fellow siblings Michael Fishman (D.J. Conner) and Alicia Goranson (Becky Conner) are pictured here with Roseanne, who is looking better than EVER!
Together again! Our favourite family from the 90’s have reunited!
As a contestant on Dancing With the Stars America, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s Alfonso Ribeiro, aka, Carlton Banks was supported by his on-screen siblings Karyn Parsons, who played the character of Hilary Banks and Tatyana Ali, also known as Ashley Banks, during the most recent dance-off. Joseph Marcell, famously known as the family’s butler Geoffrey, was also there.
The cast of Mean Girls – including writer Tina Fey, who also starred in a smaller role as teacher Ms. Norbury, reunited in a special reunion issue of *Entertainment Weekly*, photographed by Ruven Afanador.
The cast of Mean Girls – including writer Tina Fey, who also starred in a smaller role as teacher Ms. Norbury, reunited in a special reunion issue of Entertainment Weekly, photographed by Ruven Afanador.
The original cast, back in 2004, when the film was first released.
The cast of Ghostbusters, including Sigourney Weaver, also reunited for the same issue of *Entertainment Weekly*, where they featured on the cover.
The cast of Ghostbusters, including Sigourney Weaver, also reunited for the same issue of Entertainment Weekly, where they featured on the cover.
The cast of Ghostbusters, then and now.
Clueless couple reunite! It’s Stacey Dash and Donald Faison – aka Dionne and Murray from *Clueless*, nearly 20 years on – and they barely look a day older!
Clueless couple reunite! It’s Stacey Dash and Donald Faison – aka Dionne and Murray from Clueless, nearly 20 years on – and they barely look a day older!
From left to right: Josh Saviano, Fred Savage and Danica McKellar
Yep – that’s the cast of The Wonder Years – all grown up!
The curse of My Kitchen Rules has struck again as Chloe and Kelly, the most villainous contestants of the show, turn on each other after 13 years of friendship.
Chloe James and Kelly Ramsay are considered by some to be the most hated contestants in MKR history and now they have turned on each other too.
Rumours of a rift started circulating when Kelly’s name mysteriously disappeared from Chloe’s social media pages, and the infamous “Chloe and Kelly” brand became, “Chloe and…”
A source close to the long-time besties has revealed to Woman’s Day that the Perth girls have called it quits on their friendship and gone their separate ways.
“They are like chalk and cheese, with very different personalities,” admits the friend, who wishes to remain anonymous.
“Chloe is married, with a child, and Kelly is a party girl who has had several boyfriends since their time began on My Kitchen Rules.
“They’ve been friends for a long time, but each has different goals and visions for their future.”
Chloe James and Kelly Ramsay, both 29, reached the grand final of MKR in 2014, but lost out in the final cook-off against South Australian mums Bree and Jess.
They were attacked relentlessly on social media for their snide comments and snooty glances during the show, but rose above the scrutiny to start a catering and cooking school together.
It’s understood Kelly will continue catering, while Chloe is keen to become a food blogger and writer.
“Chloe hasn’t lived with her husband Luca for 3 years, so she’s going to rescue her marriage and live with him in Melbourne every second week,” confides the friend.
Chloe and Kelly’s bitter feud
“Then every alternate week she’ll be back in Perth with her son Dylan, who she shares custody of.”
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen friends who compete on the high-pressure cooking show go their separate ways following filming.
MKR fakes! Twins and the ‘evil’ Perth girls are BFFs!
Last year’s winners Bree and Jessica and the winning team before them, Leigh and Jennifer, also no longer speak.
Prince George is getting the royal treatment with his mum showering him with new gifts.
Duchess Catherine went on a shopping spree where she purchased her son a new pair of shoes.
The heavily-pregnant mum was spotted in the posh London suburb of Chelsea at Trotters, a high-end children’s store, where she often picks up clothing and toys for Prince George. She picked up an adorable pair of Start-Rite Flexy-Soft Milan leather sneaker in navy. The in-demand shoes are available for $55 at Kulfi Kids.
The fashion-savvy Duchess is known for her practical fashion sense – after she was recently spotted in a beautiful spotted ASOS maternity dress.
Catherine then continued shopping, heading to the one of her favourite stores, Zara.
Eyewitnesses noticed her browsing the store’s baby-wear department. Catherine kept onlookers guessing over the gender of her second child though when she purchased a pair of gender-neutral white leather and beige suede baby booties.
The unisex Leather Blucher soft-soled boots are available in Zara’s “mini” collection. The Duchess was obviously being careful not to drop any hints after her recent lingering in the baby girls’ section while out shopping caused a flurry of reports that she was expecting a little Princess.
British punters certainly seem to think the new royal bub will be a girl too – 80% of them in fact, with “Alice” or “Elizabeth” the popular front-runners for the baby name.
“I didn’t even know who she was until my colleagues told me afterward. She was just normal, and friendly,” the shop assistant who served Duchess Catherine told People magazine.
“She bought a few items from womenswear and then she went upstairs to the kids department.”
Duchess Catherine’s purchases continues to keep us guessing, but as she told one well-wisher, “not long to go now!”
“I’ve been voted one of Australia’s 50 national treasures. I’ve been had my face on an Australian stamp, the only non-Australian to do so, apart from the Queen, of course. It’s so, so… unreasonable,” Russell complained to the UK’s Radio Times.
Russell, 50, has been living in Australia for nearly 40 years after having moved here with his family from neighbouring New Zealand as a child in 1968. Ever since, Australia loves to claim the award-winning star as one of our own – and one of our biggest star exports.
Rusty has applied for citizenship twice recently, in 2006 and 2013, with both applications rejected. It seems the reason why is to do with a rather obscure section of Australian Immigration law, specifically affecting Kiwis.
“They changed the law for New Zealanders,” Russell said, by way of explanation.
“No matter how long you’d been in the country, if you weren’t in Australia for the majority of 2000 to 2002 – when I was particularly busy filming overseas – you can’t become a citizen.”
The clause that Rusty refers to requires that New Zealand citizens wishing to obtain Australian citizenship must have been in Australia on February 26, 2001, holding a “special class visa” – the standard Visa that’s issued to all Kiwis upon arrival in Australia, granting them permission to live and work here. Otherwise, they must have spent a period totalling at least 12 month in the two years prior to that date.
At the time Russell was busy jet-setting around the world as he filmed movies such as Mystery, Alaska – filmed in Canada, his Oscar-winning role in Gladiator, which was shot in the UK, Morocco and Malta as well as Proof of Life (where he met then-girlfriend Meg Ryan, his co-star) which was filmed in Ecuador.
Rosie Batty named Australian of the Year 2015
As Russell claims, he has indeed been featured on a postage stamp as part of Australia Post’s 2009 “Australian Legends Of The Screen” collection which also featured Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush and Nicole Kidman.
Given Rusty is clearly an Aussie icon through-and-through, we think maybe it’s time the government cut him some slack and let him make it official!
This is especially the case for 18-month-old Perth baby, Levi Wibberley who suffers from Krabbe disease.
The rare neurological disorder, that affects the production of myelin – the material that surrounds and protects nerve fibres in the body, makes it difficult for him to concentrate, until he hears Manu’s voice.
Levi’s mum, Ashley, was surprised when she noticed the soothing effect Manu’s voice had on her little boy.
Ashley decided to share her story with the man himself, and the very next day he got in touch with her.
“It is surprising, since he [Levi] can’t communicate with us an awful lot, so it’s nice to see that he can still respond to things he likes,” she told Sunrise.
“It means his brain is still functioning. He’s in a broken body but he is still there.”
Baby Levi with his parents Ben and Ashley.
The MKR judge decided to surprise Levi by recording a few children’s audio books in both English and French, for their son to listen to. He also plans to visit the family in the next month.
“I want to help as much as I can.” The talented chef was visibly moved by Levi’s story.
Levi’s parents Ben and Ashley, who are expecting their second child in July, say they are grateful for Manu’s support.
Testing for Krabbe disease is currently not mandatory in newborns, for Ben and Ashley it has become their personal crusade to change that.
For their little boy, who might not make it in time to meet his younger brother, one simple test could have saved his life.
“I’m distraught. For so long I was trying to get someone to listen us and I kept being told Levi was fine,” Ashley told Perth Now.
“I’ve been reading these studies and the only reason they don’t test for Krabbe is because it’s so rare.”
Ashley and Ben have since created a petition to the state government for Krabbe testing to become mandatory.
The average life expectancy for a child with Krabbe disease is just two-years-old, with their body essentially “deteriorating day by day”.
“My biggest wish for him [Levi] is that he gets to meet his little brother. Get to give him a cuddle. It would be a blessing and a miracle for us” Ben said.
Excitement has been bubbling over amongst the couple’s close friends, with several telling Woman’s Day that Lara, 27, has had the pair’s eagerly awaited bub in Los Angeles.
A source close to the pair says they have welcomed a beautiful baby boy!
The new bub is the first child for the famous Aussie couple, who stayed mum about the pregnancy for the whole nine months, in spite of Lara’s rather distinct growing baby bump!
While Lara and Sam’s friends are celebrating the arrival of the little fella, fans will have to wait some time before official confirmation of the happy news, as Lara continues to post cryptic messages to her Instagram account.
It is unknown what the pair have decided to name their newborn son, who was born at Cedars-Sinai hospital.
The pair were last seen together on March 19 in good spirits visiting a vintage market in Malibu.
Although Lara has never confirmed her pregnancy publicly, she was spotted at the end of January in Palm Springs with her mother Sharon, showing off her huge burgeoning baby bump.
Woman’s Day first broke the news in September last year that Lara and her hunky movie star beau Sam, 38, were expecting a baby.
“All her friends are talking about it, and Sam and Lara couldn’t be happier,” an insider confirmed to Woman’s Day at the time.
Since then, the world has been trying to catch a glimpse of Lara’s bump, which she’s been hiding under baggy clothes and oversized jackets.
Lara also recently dropped a hint that the baby may have already arrived when she shared an Instagram snap of a beautiful sunset in Los Angeles, where she is currently residing with partner Sam Worthington.
Underneath, the caption read: “Arrived at the perfect time today”.
Of course, she could have just been referring to the view – but it was enough to send fans into a frenzy with many posting their congratulations as comments.
There were some tell-tale signs of Lara’s pregnancy though. Over the past few months the pair has been spotted visiting a medical centre together in New York and browsing baby furniture at the famous high-end baby boutique Bel Bambini in Los Angeles.
It’s also believed that Lara and Sam reportedly tied the knot in secret over Christmas, with Lara changing her Instagram name to Lara Bingle Worthington.
Friends and family say the couple, who’ve been dating since September 2012, couldn’t look more in love.
We can’t wait to meet their little one! Wishing the happy couple and their new arrival many warm congratulations!
As the nation's heart breaks watching the coronial inquest into the Hunt family tragedy, The Weekly investigates how a parent can be driven to kill their entire family.
On September 9 last year on a farm in New South Wales three children were found dead in their bedrooms.
Their mother was found lying on a garden path outside the house, with a single bullet would, and a jacket draped over her body.
The following afternoon their father was found by police divers in a dam nearby on their property in the small town of Lockhart – about 80 kilometres from Wagga Wagga. Nearby was a shotgun.
Evidence put forward to a coronial inquest into the deaths of the family this week suggests farmer Geoff Hunt, 44, gunned down his wife and then walked into their home to shoot his three children before taking his own life.
Was it premeditated or did he just snap? Were there complications in the marriage? Financial problems maybe? There’s an endless chain of questions. But the one question every person sitting in the Wagga Wagga courthouse this week wants the answer to, along with Coroner Michael Barnes, is this: what drives a man to kill his entire family?
When Robert Farquharson drove his three boys – Jai, Bailey and Tyler – off a straight road into a dam and pulled just himself from the sinking car as they drowned on Fathers Day in 2005 we asked the same question. And again on January 29 in 2009, when Arthur Freeman threw his four-year-old baby girl off the Westgate Bridge in Melbourne as his two sons watched, stuck in the car. And again when Greg Anderson brutally killed his son, Luke Batty, as the 11-year-old finished cricket training in country Victoria.
“What it can come down to is how an individual reacts to adversity, and the adversity might be that they lose their job and they can’t support their family like they used to. The adversity might be the illness of a family member. The adversity might be their wife leaving them,” says Forensic Psychologist, Dr. Lisa Warren, who is also a Director at Code Black Threat Management.
“But some people – and it’s so rare that it’s difficult to describe – are so shocked and taken aback by that they see it as such a dramatic circumstance that they believe that a dramatic action in return is fitting or warranted. And I think that shows the extent of the distortion in the thinking.”
Filicide (family homicide) can range from a parent killing one of their children, to all of their children, to their children and their partner, to their children, their partner and themselves.
Whether it’s maternal filicide or paternal filicide, Dr Warren says the crime can be broken down into two main types.
The first is called ‘spousal revenge filicide’ and is most commonly “the angry man who is aggrieved against his wife and he kills her either as a way to end the marriage – because he hates being in the marriage – or as revenge for her leaving”.
The second is called ‘altruistic filicide’, which is much less common and occurs when the man feels “helpless” and “like the world is a terrible place and their family is going to be much better off not in that world.”
According to the research men and women kill for different reasons. Women are more likely to commit altruistic filicide while men are more likely to commit spousal revenge filicide, (and also commit suicide after carrying out the murders) especially during a marriage breakdown.
Why?
“Because he loses everything,” says Dr Warren.
“We see a lot of men who do a lot of monitoring and financial coercion, so they literally control these women in multiple different ways. And when she gets up and leaves, he’s faced with a circumstance that all of a sudden he can’t control.”
While a history of domestic violence is common in a lot of cases, it’s not always a contributing factor. And in Geoff Hunt’s case, counsel assisting the coroner, Peggy Dwyer, says there is no evidence the farmer ever physically abused his wife, Kim Hunt, before that fatal day in September.
Mental illness – most commonly depression or a psychotic illnesses such as schitzophrenia – can play a part in driving someone to commit filicide, as well as substance abuse. The general state of mind of a person can also push them into eventually committing such a crime.
“There are some that just dig themselves into such a difficult mental space in terms of their own attitudes that they just can’t see any other way but very dramatic action,” says Dr. Warren.
“And killing your child is about as dramatic as it gets.”
Most filicide cases are premeditated, says Dr. Warren, with the cases of “snapping” quite uncommon.
When friends, family or people in the community claim they never saw it coming, Dr Warren says “in our opinion that’s not necessarily true.”
“More often than not there’s a range of warning factors that occur.
“The thing is it’s not a simple profile. So if you have depression, plus an alcohol abuse problem, plus recent unemployment, plus marital disharmony, plus a child with a behavioural problem, that’s going to test most people.”
In Geoff Hunt’s case, the Wagga Wagga courthouse has heard there were “no obvious financial or business stressors” on the couple, however, Kim Hunt was involved in a car accident in July 2012, leaving her with a severe brain injury that “resulted in a significant change in her personality”.
She would sometimes snap at her husband and at the worst of times, she expressed “suicidal ideation”.
And while some witnesses described Geoff Hunt as “exceptionally happy” others disagreed. Lorraine Bourke – a disability support worker who regularly visited the home – said the mood on September 8 was “very tense” and you could “cut the air with a knife”.
And whatever conclusion the coroner comes to this week, the troubling reality is that most people in town were shocked by the deaths.
They never saw it coming.
“It’s hard because all of those things are all things that people are very motivated to hide. We put on a brave face or a social face and it’s sort of a testament to that saying “you never know what goes on behind closed doors.”
And behind the doors of the farmhouse was a note on the table, written by Geoff Hunt.
It read: “I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. Totally mine.”
“The more we connect as a community, and we do look out for each other as best as we can, the better things will get. But at the end of the day, people make their own choices,” says Dr Warren.
“Each of these men made their own choices, and they made choices that were horrendously damaging to not just the people who died. It has a ripple effect.”
And the case of the Hunt family is no exception. Ms Dwyer told the inquest this week: “Each of these five deaths left a terrible gap in the lives of their family and friends.
“They are also confounded as to how this would happen to a loving, gifted family who had tried so hard to support each other in the lead up to this tragedy.”
Rob yesterday posted a snap of Rosamund Pike’s villainous Gone Girl character, Amy Dunne, soaked in blood, which he captioned: “This is my sister kim, the b**** from Gone Girl”.
While no one seems entirely sure what Rob meant by making this comparison, he and Kim haven’t been on the best terms since he snubbed his sister’s wedding to Kanye West in Italy.
Since then, he has remained out of the limelight and apparently avoided other family members too.
Now, a family source has told People magazine that no one in the family is particularly bothered by the apparent insult, instead calling the whole thing “so dumb”.
“He has a funny sense of humor and posts weird things and then deletes them,” the source continued. “It’s just him.”
“He’s been depressed and just a bit off in general,” the source said of the 28-year-old, who has previously been reported to be struggling with self-confidence issues as a result of his weight gain.
Rob’s bizarre Instagram post.
The source continued: “But he has always been this way. He just can’t lose the weight and he doesn’t try – he just sits around.”
After the wedding debacle, Kris Jenner said that her sock designer son is “working on himself” and “he’s going to be okay.”
“Rob is living in L.A. right now, he is doing well finding out what makes him tick,” the matriarch told E News!
“He is struggling with some stuff but my job is to be there for him and love him as hard as I can. Everyone goes through stuff and we get through each other’s adversity one year at a time,” she added.
Hmm, we hope everything is ok with Rob and that he gets all the support he needs!
Now, the brave Hollywood star has revealed that she rushed to have her fallopian tubes and ovaries removed – an invasive surgery that has resulted in menopause at the age of 39.
Angelina, a mum of six, is a carrier of the BRAC1 gene, which left her with an 87 per cent risk of breast cancer and a 50 per cent risk of ovarian cancer. Both her mother and grandmother tragically passed away from their battles with cancer.
Two years ago, knowing she carried the same deadly gene, Angelina underwent a double mastectomy and revealed the news in an emotional op-ed with the New York Times. This week, as she recovers from surgery with her husband Brad Pitt by her side, she has again shared her story…
TWO years ago I wrote about my choice to have a preventive double mastectomy. A simple blood test had revealed that I carried a mutation in the BRCA1 gene. It gave me an estimated 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer. I lost my mother, grandmother and aunt to cancer.
I wanted other women at risk to know about the options. I promised to follow up with any information that could be useful, including about my next preventive surgery, the removal of my ovaries and fallopian tubes.
I had been planning this for some time. It is a less complex surgery than the mastectomy, but its effects are more severe. It puts a woman into forced menopause. So I was readying myself physically and emotionally, discussing options with doctors, researching alternative medicine, and mapping my hormones for estragon or progesterone replacement. But I felt I still had months to make the date.
Angelina Jolie with her children Knox, Pax and Vivienne.
*Then two weeks ago I got a call from my doctor with blood-test results. “Your CA-125 is normal,” he said. I breathed a sigh of relief. That test measures the amount of the protein CA-125 in the blood, and is used to monitor ovarian cancer. I have it every year because of my family history.
But that wasn’t all. He went on. “There are a number of inflammatory markers that are elevated, and taken together they could be a sign of early cancer.” I took a pause. “CA-125 has a 50 to 75 percent chance of missing ovarian cancer at early stages,” he said. He wanted me to see the surgeon immediately to check my ovaries.
I went through what I imagine thousands of other women have felt. I told myself to stay calm, to be strong, and that I had no reason to think I wouldn’t live to see my children grow up and to meet my grandchildren.
I called my husband in France, who was on a plane within hours. The beautiful thing about such moments in life is that there is so much clarity. You know what you live for and what matters. It is polarizing, and it is peaceful.
That same day I went to see the surgeon, who had treated my mother. I last saw her the day my mother passed away, and she teared up when she saw me: “You look just like her.” I broke down. But we smiled at each other and agreed we were there to deal with any problem, so “let’s get on with it.”
Nothing in the examination or ultrasound was concerning. I was relieved that if it was cancer, it was most likely in the early stages. If it was somewhere else in my body, I would know in five days. I passed those five days in a haze, attending my children’s soccer game, and working to stay calm and focused.
The day of the results came. The PET/CT scan looked clear, and the tumor test was negative. I was full of happiness, although the radioactive tracer meant I couldn’t hug my children. There was still a chance of early stage cancer, but that was minor compared with a full-blown tumor. To my relief, I still had the option of removing my ovaries and fallopian tubes and I chose to do it.
I did not do this solely because I carry the BRCA1 gene mutation, and I want other women to hear this. A positive BRCA test does not mean a leap to surgery. I have spoken to many doctors, surgeons and naturopaths. There are other options. Some women take birth control pills or rely on alternative medicines combined with frequent checks. There is more than one way to deal with any health issue. The most important thing is to learn about the options and choose what is right for you personally.
In my case, the Eastern and Western doctors I met agreed that surgery to remove my tubes and ovaries was the best option, because on top of the BRCA gene, three women in my family have died from cancer. My doctors indicated I should have preventive surgery about a decade before the earliest onset of cancer in my female relatives. My mother’s ovarian cancer was diagnosed when she was 49. I’m 39.
Last week, I had the procedure: a laparoscopic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. There was a small benign tumor on one ovary, but no signs of cancer in any of the tissues.
I have a little clear patch that contains bio-identical estrogen. A progesterone IUD was inserted in my uterus. It will help me maintain a hormonal balance, but more important it will help prevent uterine cancer. I chose to keep my uterus because cancer in that location is not part of my family history.
It is not possible to remove all risk, and the fact is I remain prone to cancer. I will look for natural ways to strengthen my immune system. I feel feminine, and grounded in the choices I am making for myself and my family. I know my children will never have to say, “Mom died of ovarian cancer.”
Regardless of the hormone replacements I’m taking, I am now in menopause. I will not be able to have any more children, and I expect some physical changes. But I feel at ease with whatever will come, not because I am strong but because this is a part of life. It is nothing to be feared.
I feel deeply for women for whom this moment comes very early in life, before they have had their children. Their situation is far harder than mine. I inquired and found out that there are options for women to remove their fallopian tubes but keep their ovaries, and so retain the ability to bear children and not go into menopause. I hope they can be aware of that.
It is not easy to make these decisions. But it is possible to take control and tackle head-on any health issue. You can seek advice, learn about the options and make choices that are right for you. Knowledge is power.*
