Brave contestant Sarah Stone ‘I’m doing it for Mum’
The Voice hopeful is turning her family tragedy into a chance to help others
Auditioning for The Voice is a courageous move for anybody, not least Sarah Stone, who lives each day dealing with the fact that her mother Linda disappeared without a trace in 2000.
Sarah, 22, tells Woman’s Day that her mum, who was 42 at the time, dropped her and her older brother Alex at school in Croydon, Victoria, before supposedly driving to the Alpine National Park, never to be seen again.
Eleven years later she was pronounced “deceased”, despite the fact her body has never been found. “It was really traumatic for my dad. My mum was his soulmate. He still talks about her every single day,” Sarah tells Woman’s Day, fighting back tears.
“It was so hard to see e someone wonder why this had happened appened to them, and to someone he loved so much. It was heartbreaking.”king.”
In 2006, Sarah’s dad Stephen, who she calls her “rock”, ”, slammed senior police for failing to investigate Linda’s mysteriousterious disappearance as an abductionduction and murder. He claimedd his fears were dismissed because e Linda had a history of depression. .
Days before Linda went ent missing, her friend Margaret Musicousico said the mother-of-two seemed med disoriented and was upsetpset that her own mother – who livedd in England – had deteriorating health. She also revealed she visited her friend at home but Linda refused to let her in, blaming her depression.
Though Linda’s whereabouts and the truth behind her disappearance remain a mystery, Sarah says she’s determined to raise awareness about mental health.
“I’m glad to be that person who stands up and speaks about it,” she says. “My whole family suffers from anxiety and depression, and the more it gets boxed up and made taboo, the harder it is to deal with.
“It’s about not being afraid of people judging you.” If you are struggling with depression, see your GP or call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 224 636.