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It took 14 years for Brianna to blossom. The petals were torn away when hate and transphobia met obsession and betrayal
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From Warrington to the world — the LGBTQ+ community mourned Brianna Ghey after her tragic murder. But this is her mother’s story. Her pain. Her insight into who Brianna truly was.
Esther was a young single mum to two beautiful children — Brett and his sister. Life was full of memories until a “three became four” when she met her husband, and their family felt complete. Brett was openly gay, gymnastic-loving, and full of life, but lockdown hit hard. At 14, Brett blossomed into Brianna — a beautiful, makeup-loving young woman. Esther’s only concern was the medical impact of hormones, never acceptance.
Brianna’s teenage years became increasingly tangled with social media, and she was hospitalised after restricting her food intake and falling into dangerous online ideals of “skeletal beauty.”
In February 2023, a friend with ulterior motives and a peer with deep transphobia lured Brianna to a park, where she was brutally stabbed. Both killers are now serving over 20 years in prison.
Behind the headlines is a family — a mother, sister, and stepfather — grieving someone they adored. The world lit candles, vigils were held from Warrington to New York, and even Sam Smith wore a headdress with “Brianna Ghey” in her honour.
Today, Esther channels her grief into purpose — bringing mindfulness into schools, advocating for better mental health support, and keeping Brianna’s legacy alive. She has shared her story with the Prime Minister, written a book, and continues to speak out so that no other family has to endure the pain she lives with every day.https://www.briannaslegacy.org/
This episode is warmly sponsored by Love, Loss and Disco Balls — a unique card company bringing honesty, warmth, and colour to life’s hardest moments. Find out more: Lovelossdiscoballs.com
Chapters
1. It took 14 years for Brianna to blossom. The petals were torn away when hate and transphobia met obsession and betrayal (00:00:00)
2. intro & sponsorship (00:00:01)
3. Who is Brianna (00:02:34)
4. Who was Brett (00:08:21)
5. Unhealthy relationship with food (00:20:18)
6. Autism diagnosis & ADHD (00:32:43)
7. Love from across the world (00:41:42)
8. How grief changes you (00:48:30)
9. Moving forward with Brianna (00:51:09)
10. Next week Olly Stephen’s mum joins me. (01:04:23)
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