Boxer Judy Bobbett Completes 30-Day Mental Health Challenge After Father's Death
The Irish athlete documented thirty daily activities on social media in September to honor her father, a former physics teacher who died by suicide in January.
By Emily Brooks ·
Judy Bobbett, a former Team Ireland boxer and international rugby player, spent September completing a series of thirty daily tasks to support her mental health. She documented the exercise on TikTok, sharing the routine publicly to demonstrate that accessible self-care is possible in the months following the death of a loved one. Her father, Charles Bobbett, died by suicide in January at the age of 58.
Bobbett began her public documentation on August 31 in a local park. She recorded a single, unedited video to announce the challenge, which would consist of thirty different activities over thirty days. The list was compiled that day and included activities that her father had enjoyed, such as swimming and going to the cinema, alongside other mental health strategies. She noted that the tasks were intentionally ordinary to show that support does not require specialized services.
The athlete had attended HUGG Suicide Bereavement Support sessions shortly after her father's passing. She walked into a meeting approximately two weeks after his death and five days after his funeral. During that session, she noted that most attendees had lost their loved ones months or years prior. She described feeling the weight of their attention as she introduced herself, acknowledging that she was taking on the grief immediately.
Bobbett, who has previously spent time in St John of God's for her own mental health, stated that she and her father shared similar struggles. She explained that her primary fear was succumbing to the same difficulties if she did not manage her own well-being. In the weeks following his death, she described periods of intense emotional breakdown and guilt, despite her efforts to stay proactive. She emphasized that the process was not linear and that the initial months remained difficult.
Earlier in the year, Bobbett participated in Pieta House’s Darkness into Light campaign, raising 5,000 euros from friends and family. However, she reflected that individuals who remain isolated at home may not benefit directly from fundraising efforts if they do not engage with support organizations. She wanted her September challenge to reach those individuals who might not seek out formal services.
The challenge included baking, spending time with friends, and visiting Explorium, a science museum, as a nod to her father’s career as a physics teacher. She also included a sea swim, an activity her father favored for his mental well-being. Bobbett noted that it was difficult to accept that her father engaged in these self-care activities for years before his death, yet they were ultimately not enough.
One of the most difficult tasks involved creating a memory box from her father’s possessions. She had postponed this activity since the funeral due to fear of losing items and being overwhelmed by emotion. When she finally gathered the objects, she selected a small light bulb, which he used for car repairs, and a cap he frequently wore. She also included an Ashbourne rugby jacket and various photographs. She placed the items in a box and has not opened it since, stating that she is grateful to have completed the task but is not yet ready to revisit it.
The public response to the videos was more extensive than Bobbett anticipated. While she is not typically an active social media user, the first video generated 300 comments and dozens of direct messages. Many of the messages came from men and fathers in her father’s demographic who shared their own struggles. She stated that she had not specifically targeted that group but was surprised by the volume of responses from men who felt seen by her documentation.
Bobbett maintained that her goal was to help at least one person through the process. The direct messages indicated that the challenge resonated with those who had previously kept their struggles private. She concluded the month with the box of possessions sealed and the thirty tasks completed, having shared the details of each activity with her online audience throughout the period.
