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Moments after Prince Harry helped hoist the iconic Invictus Games flag to the top of Sydney Harbor Bridge, he comforted the widow of a soldier who accompanied him on the climb.
Gwen Cherne, 41, who was part of the elite group who climbed the bridge with the prince, explained how a compassionate Harry had listened to the story of his late husband, the forces officer. Australian specialties Peter J. Cafe, died by suicide in February 2017 at the age of 48 years.
The couple spoke for about 10 minutes downhill and the prince asked about his children – Emily, 6, Lachlan, 3, and her son-in-law Tom, 19 – and on the family's behavior .
"Lachlan is the spitting image of my husband. Harry said something as if the children were to remind you of him, or continue to live in him. And I said my son looked so much like him, "said PEOPLE Cherne, who grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. "It was comfortable and caring."
Prince Harry and Gwen Cherne
Dominic Lipinski / PA Images via Getty Images
Prince Harry and Gwen Cherne
Cherne said Harry – who lost his mother, Princess Diana, while he was only 12 – and she talked about "grief and loss".
"He understood what I meant. When we understand the loss, I think it's obvious, "she explained. "He asked me if I was getting the support I needed from the Defense, Veterans and the Veterans community." She works closely with the US-based tragedy relief program and spoke to Harry about their partnership with Britain's Diana. Price.
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Harry, who travels to Australia with his pregnant wife Meghan Markle, 37, was on deck to announce the start of her Paralympic competition for injured, sick and injured soldiers, which will kick off in Sydney this weekend.
While the prince's entourage, 34, was trying to get them out of the way, Harry wanted to make sure they had enough time to talk.
"He stopped and said:" I'm in a conversation and I'm not going to drop this. "We were talking about my story and my sanity and the difficulty that I had. In our society, there is still talk about grief and loss and suicide, and how important it is that things like the Invictus Games be brought to light and allow people to start having those conversations that are great. "
Cherne, a widow, veteran and family advisor with the Australian Department of Veterans Affairs and Invictus Games 2018 ambassador, adds that grief is "at the root of so much suffering. We do not deal with the daily losses we have or the major losses of a husband or son. God forbid, we are talking about suicide and its real causes. It's more complicated than just one problem a day. "
She added, "The fact that he and Meghan enlighten the Invictus Games, highlighting the service to so many people and sacrificing active members and their families – and highlighting families – gives people hope."
With permission of Gwen Cherne, with her husband Pete and her children (from left to right), Lachlan, Emily and Tom
Harry "asked a lot of questions about my story, so he had it in mind," she says.
Cherne met Peter – known as Pete – when she was working in development in Afghanistan in 2008. He enlisted in the Australian Army in 2010, joining Special Forces, the Second Commando Regiment. , in 2012. She moved to Australia, giving birth to Emily during her deployment to Afghanistan in 2012.
Four years later, while he was deployed to Iraq in the first half of 2016, he suffered a stroke.
"He showed signs of post-traumatic stress, anxiety and paranoia throughout our relationship. But after the stroke, his knowledge did not improve as quickly as he would have liked. The only sign was that he was not processing things so quickly and that he had a small black spot in his eyesight, "she explains.
"When you're in a high performing environment, like special forces, when you're not performing to the fullest, you know," Cherne said. "It created a lot of anxiety and pressure for him. He started to lose his thoughts. He did not think that the Defense was committed to defending its interests, even if it told him the exact opposite. And he became very angry and violent on Friday and Monday morning, he committed suicide in our garage. "
Courtesy of Gwen Cherne, Gwen and Pete Cafe on Anzac's Day 2013
"My involvement in the Invictus Games got me out of bed. I'm gaining resilience, "shares Cherne. "I do not have to climb a mountain today, but to put one foot in front of the other."
She says that Harry and Meghan "do so much good with their place in the world, using their power and privileges. Many of our leaders could learn from it. They change the lives of people because of that. They change the way we look at mental health globally because they care about it, they pay attention to it and organize Invictus Games. It changes – and saves – lives every day. "
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