A British Airways flight attendant fell to her death from a motorway bridge after
struggling to cope with the end of her marriage, an inquest heard.
Debra Fox, 54, was found by a passer-by with serious head injuries near to her home in Salford, Manchester on April 15.
A photograph of her and her husband was found at the scene of her death with her address on the back.
Her family paid tribute to a ‘wonderful and vivacious’ woman after an inquest into her death recorded a verdict of suicide, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Bolton Coroner’s Court was told Mrs Fox had been treated for depression after splitting with husband Ian, a business account manager, in September last year.
The inquest heard she ‘couldn’t live without him’ and that the air hostess had died just five days before what would have been the couple’s 25th anniversary.
Janet Yates, Mrs Fox’s sister, said: “Debra was always wearing the best designer label clothing. She was always so proud of her appearance and they were always going out together.
“They were always together – and that was the issue in the end. She was beautiful and vivacious. She will never be forgotten.”
She said her sister, who flew long haul with the airline for more than 20 years, loved her job, her family and had a wide circle of friends.
But she said that her ‘demeanour changed’ after the split and she was later diagnosed with depression, adding: “She was very much more down than she was up. She put on a face of being up. We had a very close relationship.
“She said she could not live without Ian in her life and without Ian, her life was not worth living. Debra’s whole life was her job and her marriage with Ian.”
Mr Fox, who lives in Culcheth, near Warrington, was on holiday at the time of the tragedy.
In a statement to the inquest, he paid tribute to a ‘wonderful lady’ who enjoyed her job and the travel it brought.
He said the break-up was ‘very difficult’ for both parties.
Mrs Fox was also admitted to hospital twice in the months leading up to her death.
Greater Manchester West Mental Heath NHS Foundation Trust carried out a review of all contact between health professionals and Mrs Fox, but concluded nothing could have contributed to her death.
The trust did say however that it would be liaising more in the future with patients’ families.
Assistant coroner Rachel Griffin said she was satisfied that Mrs Fox had intended to take her own life.
She said: “She was dedicated both to her work and to her family. From the evidence I have heard, she significantly struggled to cope with the breakdown of her marriage.”
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