Wife praises Tim Lafai for seeking mental help

By Thomas Airey 15 April 2020, 7:00PM

Toa Samoa centre, Tim Lafai’s wife, Jacqui, has come out in support of her husband for confronting his mental wellbeing and seeking professional help.

The St. George Illawarra star checked himself into hospital on Easter Sunday in the aftermath of a Good Friday incident that saw him being served with an apprehended domestic violence order.

Such an order can be applied for by “any person who is or has been the victim of physical assault, threats of physical harm, stalking, intimidation or harassment and has a reasonable fear to believe that this behaviour will continue,” under the law of New South Wales.

Jacqui Lafai took to social media platform Instagram to emphasise that the incident had nothing to do with domestic violence, and was a mental health issue.

“He is a loving husband, and wonderful and patient father to our beautiful babies,” she said.

“I am so proud of him for seeking help despite knowing this would cause him personal pain and media scrutiny. He did that because he put his family first.”

Tim Lafai was not charged over the incident on Friday, which saw him taken to hospital to receive treatment for damage to his hands and forehead.

It is understood the 28-year-old had been training in a local park that morning before returning home for a weights session.

However Jacqui requested that Tim spend the day together with family, and while the Toa centre agreed, he became frustrated and consumed alcohol, after which he started damaging property around the house before police and an ambulance arrived and took him to hospital.

There was no suggestion Lafai was violent towards Jacqui or their children.

According to Fox Sports Australia, he checked himself into hospital again on Sunday morning having become upset by television and newspaper reports of the earlier incident.

Tags

Rugby league
Toa Samoa
By Thomas Airey 15 April 2020, 7:00PM
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