tim dormer retweeted
POPSUGAR Australia @popsugarau 2h2 hours ago
TV star
@TimDormer talks
#Graceland & best mate
@BenfromBrisbane's depression:
http://www.popsugar.com.au/37188409
Tim Dormer on Going to Graceland With Ben: "He Was at Rock Bottom and He Gave Up on Life"
by
Genevieve Rota 04/4/15
In 2013 we were introduced to Tim Dormer and Ben Zabel, two unknown men who gave up their personal lives to appear on
Big Brother. After
a super successful run on the show (Tim won and Ben was one of the most popular contestants in recent memory), the pair returned to normal life, with one big difference: they'd found in each other a mate for life. They're a bit of an odd couple — Tim is larger than life and potentially the happiest person on earth while Ben's a shy homebody who openly struggles with depression. But they have a connection that made for magic moments on TV, and in real life they've been through a lot together already.
As Tim promised during
Big Brother in 2013, he took diehard Elvis fan Ben to Graceland with some of his winnings from the show — what's resulted is
a YouTube series titled The Graceland Happiness Project, launching on April 15for a 10-episode run. But what started out as a fun idea turned into something much bigger and deeper
after Ben attempted suicide last year. We spoke to Tim exclusively to get the low-down on the special trip.
"I kind of fell in love with Ben and grew a heart for him in the
Big Brother house," Tim tells POPSUGAR Australia. "I knew that he was going through some stuff and I made a promise to him, 'Dude, we're friends for life now, you're not going to be able to get rid of me'. And I think he didn't really believe that. We don't stay in touch with everyone from the house but Ben and I do. Nearly every day we talk or text and somedays he's not OK."
While Tim and Ben's trip to Graceland had been in the works for a while, plans were derailed when Ben hit a low point. "It's been a bit of a rough ride for the last year," Tim says. "Especially late last year, the depression . . . It got quite low. That was the point where he was at rock-bottom and he gave up on life. This trip was actually in the works, we were working with this amazing production company, they were sending a film crew . . . Then all of a sudden it was just kind of like, 'Oh my gosh, Ben, do you still want to do this?' and he said, 'Yeah, I do. What else have I got to do, what have I got to lose?' I think he was just like, may as well give it a shot."
As such, what was meant to be a fun, loose trip overseas turned into something much bigger and more meaningful. "It was just me as a friend, wanting to do something," Tim says. "It
was just that fun holiday, but then it took on this new meaning about trying to get Ben to find that new lease on life that travel brings. I wasn't trying to 'fix' him, nor was I thinking it would solve all of these problems but it's just funny that — it's so surprising that what Ben got out of this trip was not visiting this childhood dream destination. It was doing it together that made him really happy. He found it fulfilling."
The strongest message of
The Graceland Happiness Project comes through loud and clear: simply being there for a friend is sometimes the most important thing you can do. "I want this story to be told about friendship," explains Tim. "I myself have never had problems with menal illness so for me, I don't know how to help Ben. I don't know what it's like. This series shows that sort of frustrating thing as a friend where you want to do something but it just seems like a lost cause. You know someone in your life who often has struggles with mental illness and often you just have to check in with them and say, 'How are you going,' or just be with them. Do life with them. I think that it's a story that needs to be told. Suicide is now the leading cause of death for Australians under 44 years old. It's scary to think that everybody knows someone in their life who's struggling with mental illness, and I think there needs to be more conversation around it."
In the end, the trip probably surprised Tim the most. "What I thought would happen didn't happen," he says. "At the end of the trip we were sitting there like, 'What did we get out of this?' and Ben said, 'What made me really happy was seeing you get a kick out of going along to see Elvis,' and all these places that were Ben's interests. Having a friend to share it with, that's what he got a kick out of. He's still got depression, but we've got this experience now that we've shared together and he can talk about it."
"Talking to him on the phone today, he's just so excited to show this to everyone," Tim concludes. "And I'm excited to share a story that I'm really passionate about."
Anyone seeking support and information about suicide prevention is urged to contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
Scroll for pictures of Tim and Ben's trip!
Source:
Instagram user timdormer
Source:
Instagram user timdormer
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Instagram user timdormer
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Instagram user timdormer
Source:
Instagram user timdormer
more photos
http://www.popsugar.com.au/celebrity/Tim-Dormer-Interview-Graceland-Project-Ben-Zabel-37188409
Seeya rainy Sydney I'm off to see a special someone @travisjake_
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