The tragic early death of Peaches Geldof and why it upset me so much

I feel enormously sad when someone dies tragically before their time. That is what has happened to the beautiful Peaches Geldof. I once wrote a post about her and it’s been one of my most popular. I know that people love her, I loved her. When I turned on the TV this morning I was overcome with sadness. The Boyf could see I was upset and distracted me so I didn’t cry again.

Who was Peaches Geldof?

The middle child of Bob Geldof and Paula Yates, she was 25 when she passed away. Paula, her mother, also passed away before her time (tragically from a heroin overdose). Peaches had already been married twice; at 19 she married Max Drummey, the singer for indie band Chester French. They married at a drive-thru chapel in Las Vegas while on holiday. The marriage only lasted six months and ended in 2009.

She then married her second husband, Tom Cohen, lead singer of the defunct London punk band S.C.U.M. They had two kids, 23-month-oldboy Astala and 11-month-old boy, Phaedra.

What happened to Peaches Geldof?

“Kent police declined to name Geldof, but when asked about her death they said in a statement that officers were called to a house near Wrotham following a report of concern for a woman’s welfare Monday afternoon. They said the 25-year-old woman was pronounced dead by emergency officers and that the death was being treated as ‘unexplained and sudden’.”(Source)

The general consensus is that it seems to be some sort of drug overdose.

What her father has said:

“She was the wildest, funniest, cleverest, wittiest and the most bonkers of all of us,” he wrote. “Writing ‘was’ destroys me afresh. What a beautiful child. How is this possible that we will not see her again? How is that bearable? We loved her and will cherish her forever.”

When I read that this morning, I too felt tragically destroyed. I don’t know how poor Sir Bob could go on but I guess he has no choice. Another tragedy is that Peaches’ half-sister, Tiger, has now witnessed her mother (Paula Yates), her father (Michael Hutchence) and her big sister (Peaches) die in self-harm situations. Her grief must be deep.

I don’t know what I want to add here

Except that I am praying for the family. I am not a religious person but I have nothing else to give. It is times like these when I hear such tragic news that I feel so blessed to have my family with me and how grateful I am that my life has not been beset by such tragedy.

Photo: Peaches at the Factory Girl premiere in 2007.