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Andrew Fifita tells how twin brother David saved his life

Cronulla Sharks star Andrew Fifita has opened up on The NRL Footy Show about the day brother David saved his life during his battle with depression.
After a buck's weekend on the Gold Coast, Andrew's struggles culminated with an attempt to take his own life by jumping from the window of a Surfers Paradise high rise apartment.
A confrontation with fans wanting a photo had left Andrew agitated, and his brothers, who were with him, thought nothing of it until their return to the hotel room.
Talking to Yvonne Sampson on The NRL Footy Show, Andrew began to describe the incident, though twin brother David who was in the room for moral support had to leave, finding the story too emotional.
“[Older brother Latu] was going ‘What’s going on? What’s going on? Just tell us what’s going on'," Fifita said.
"I said 'I'll show you what's going on'," Andrew said before describing how he attempted to launch himself out of the window 20 stories above the ground.
"Someone grabbed my legs, and I just got back in, and fell to the ground.
"David punched me in the face, punched me in the mouth, I sat there laughing at him.
"I was just yelling at him 'I don't care, it's over, do what you want'.
"Life was over for me at that point."
In the interview, recorded prior to the brothers’ blow-up at a referee in a Penrith juniors rugby league game, Andrew told of how David forced him to seek hospital treatment upon their return to Sydney.
"I kept looking at my brother's eyes, and I can still see now, and I was saying 'it's not me, trust me, take me home," Fifita said, describing his reluctance to go into a psychiatric ward.
"And he was there in tears and I was in tears, just saying 'please, please [take me home]'."
Andrew said his brother helped him understand why he needed treatment.
"He just said, 'I wouldn't be doing this if you didn't need this', I think that was just the main breaking point, and he knows me better than anyone in this world,” he said.
Andrew was subsequently treated in a hospital psychiatric ward and has been diagnosed with depression and personality disorder.
Fifita said the pressures on him to perform at Cronulla were factors in his depression, and with the team not doing well at the time he felt a responsibility to carry the side.
Sampson also spoke to two mothers of young Queensland League players, who lost their sons to suicide on Australia Day this year.
Hayden Butler, 20, and Regan Grieve, 19, were bright prospects from Mackay, and are two of eight young league players to take their own lives this year.
And while each had unique reasons that led to their deaths, there were common threads linked to each suicide tragedy in injury, pressure to perform, and the fear of failure.
Angela Grieve, the mother of Regan, spoke of what she believes is necessary in helping avoid the tragedies.
"They need to be able to talk about this, and we need to listen," Mrs Grieve said.
Fifita’s journey with mental health continues, asked by Sampson how he is now, he said he didn't know.
"A question I really can't answer, 'cause I don't know,” Fifita said.
"I think the fear of coming off the medication and being back to where I was is the scariest thing."
Finally asked about how mentally tough he is now, Fifita replied with an unmasked honesty.
"I'm still learning."
If you or anyone you know is suffering from depression you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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