Emily Head
“Rebecca’s memory will never come back – it’s so upsetting…”
I’ve no idea how anyone deals with what Rebecca is going through,” admits Emily Head, as she joins us to talk through alter ego’s latest battle. “She’s trying to put her life back together and make her family proud. She’s doing the best she can, but she’s lost two very important people from her life, and it’s a daily struggle…”
Just a few short weeks ago, Rebecca was planning a new life on the other side of the world – yet in the blink of an eye, everything changed. The devastating car crash that robbed Rebecca of her beloved dad and big sister has wiped out her past, present and future – and nothing will ever be the same again.
“Rebecca’s memory will never come back,” sighs Emily. “She’s facing a vast world out there, and it’s so upsetting for her. She has a lot to deal with, and it’s all a daunting process. It’s also worrying for the people around her, because while she believes she’s doing things normally, they can see that she just isn’t the same.”
This week, Rebecca is further devastated to discover that she has a form of brain injury known as ‘executive dysfunction’ – or ED – which prompts her to make a decision concerning her baby boy Seb. But while it might seem a drastic move, Emily insists that it’s a choice made with love.
“Seb is the most important person in Rebecca’s life, and all she wants to do is to protect him,” shares the 29-year-old actress. “But she starts to worry that she might not be able to look after him like before. She forgets to feed him sometimes, and forgets that he needs changing.
“She’s going through an awful lot, and is leaning towards depression, because she feels useless as far as Seb is concerned.”
Having researched the consequences of Rebecca’s diagnosis, Emily has been able to develop a deeper understanding of Rebecca’s situation. So she’s keen to approach whatever might lie ahead for Rebecca with those experiencing the condition in real-life at the forefront of her mind.
“I’ve met up with some extraordinary people through the Second Chance Headway Centre charity,” reveals Emily. “We’re telling the story of people who are living with ED, so we have a duty to tell it the best we can. This is something that happens to real people, and it’s awful. It has definitely changed Rebecca.
“Learning that she has ED completely floors her,” adds the star. “Up until this point, everyone’s been saying, ‘Let’s get you better!’. But this diagnosis alters everything. It means that her memory won’t recover, and that there’s no going back to before the crash – all she can do now is try to improve from this point.”
Rebecca’s future may seem uncertain just now – but after the trauma of the past couple of months, Emily is wishing that somehow better times are on the way.
“Hopefully a fresh start is on the cards for Rebecca,” she muses. “Rebecca leaving hospital has meant a new way of working, as she and Seb are living with Victoria – and that’s been fun to film. It’s also refreshing to be filming friendlier scenes between Robert and Rebecca, now that they’re not constantly angry with one another!”
Rebecca starts to worry she can’t look after Seb…