Placeholder Content Image

Woman "trapped" on a boat for a decade details amazing "escape"

<p>A woman has recalled her turbulent childhood spent "trapped" a boat with her parents, detailing how she made her "escape".</p> <p>Suzanne Heywood was just seven years old when her parents told her she, along with her younger brother Jonathan, would be pulled out of school to go on a three-year voyage around the world. </p> <p>The family of four from the UK set out on their quest to recreate Captain Cook’s infamous third and final voyage around the globe, which ended up taking a decade instead of the promised three years. </p> <p>While her parents thought it was the trip of a lifetime and often described the opportunity as a “privilege”, Suzanne has since compared it to being locked up in prison.</p> <p>Now 55 years old, Suzanne has shared her tale of survival on TikTok, and recalled her 10 years at sea in her tell-all memoir <em>Wavewalker</em>. </p> <p>“My father said we would be back in three years’ time, and that my dog would be waiting for me, and my friends and school and everything would go back to normal,” the author said in a now-viral video. </p> <p>“But in fact, it was almost 10 years before we came back, and I spent that time trapped on a boat, unable to go to school or have normal friendships.” </p> <p>Despite her father assuring her the “trip would be safe”, Suzanne claimed it was “incredibly dangerous”, sharing details of a perilous journey from South Africa to Australia where the boat hit an “enormous storm”. </p> <p>“The waves became bigger and bigger, and finally one crashed over the back of the boat, through the deck and out the side,” she recalled.</p> <p>“I was thrown, a little girl at 7, against the ceiling of the cabin and against the wall, fracturing my skull and breaking my nose. Three days later, we found a tiny little island in the middle of the Indian Ocean where I had multiple head operations without anaesthetic.”</p> <p>In order to get through her "very strange" childhood, Suzanne recalled how she was determined to get an education to live a normal life. </p> <p>“As it became clear my parents had no intentions of going back, I decided I had to educate myself as it was the only lifeline that I had,” she told the hosts of <em>The Morning Show</em>. </p> <p>“The only way to get off this boat was to get an education, it was my only hope to ensure I had a ‘normal life’ for myself one day.”</p> <p>While remote education wasn't an option in 1969, Suzanne enrolled in an Australian correspondence school when she was 13. </p> <p>she began studying in the small cabin of the boat, which she found challenging both practically, and academically as she “had missed a lot of education”.</p> <p>Then, when she was 16, and her brother 15, her parents enrolled the two teenagers into a school in New Zealand while they continued sailing.</p> <p>Despite the gaps in her education, Suzanne  landed a spot at Oxford University, and after saving up money she’d earned working on a farm, Suzanne bought a one-way plane ticket back to the UK.</p> <p>Since going public with her story, which she was inspired to do after the death of her husband in 2018, Suzanne's book instantly became a bestseller, and she continues to work through the trauma caused by her "unstable" childhood. </p> <p>Suzanne's extraordinary tale has captured the hearts of millions, with thousands of online fans hailing her bravery. </p> <p>“<em>Wavewalker</em> is one of the best books I’ve read, I’m so sorry you went through all that,” one person replied, while another said, “Thank you for the this! Your story inspires me and I can change my life no matter when and how.” </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / Suzanne Heywood</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Suzanne Somers' official cause of death revealed

<p>Suzanne Somers' official cause of death has been revealed after her tragic passing on October 15, just one day before her 77th birthday. </p> <p>A copy of her death certificate obtained by <em><a href="https://theblast.com/550097/suzanne-somers-death-certificate-official-cause-death-brain-cancer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Blast</a></em> revealed the severity of her decades-long battle with breast cancer, and while it was the main cause of her death, it had reportedly also metastasized to the brain.</p> <p>According to the publication, Somers also suffered from hypertension and  hydrocephalus (a build up of fluid on the brain) in the lead up to her death. </p> <p>The <em>Step by Step</em> actress had endured a <span style="color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">23</span>-year long battle with breast cancer before her passing, which sent shockwaves across the entertainment industry. </p> <p>Somers' publicist R. Couri Hay first broke the news of her passing in a statement, and also shared that the actress' husband Alan Hamel had given her a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/uniquely-magically-indescribably-us-read-the-emotional-love-letter-from-suzanne-somers-husband" target="_blank" rel="noopener">love letter</a> just 24 hours before her passing. </p> <p>"She read the poem and went to bed and later died peacefully in her sleep,” her publicist said at the time. </p> <p>In one of her Instagram posts before her death, Somers opened up about her battle with cancer  and how grateful she was to have her husband by her side. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CvYACxKytPM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CvYACxKytPM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Suzanne Somers (@suzannesomers)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"As you know, I had breast cancer two decades ago, and every now and then it pops up again, and I continue to bat it down," she wrote.</p> <p>"I have used the best alternative and conventional treatments to combat it. This is not new territory for me."</p> <p>"I know how to put on my battle gear and I'm a fighter. Alan has been by my side every step of the way. I can't even explain how much he has done for me. If it's even possible, we are even closer than ever."</p> <p>Somers is survived by Alan, her husband of 46 years, her son, Bruce Somers Jr. and her three granddaughters.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/ Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

"Uniquely, magically, indescribably us": Read the emotional love letter from Suzanne Somers' husband

<p>Just one day before her death, Suzanne Somers' husband gave her a handwritten love letter as part of an early birthday present. </p> <p>Somers' husband, Alan Hamel, gave the letter to his wife of 45 years just 24 hours before she passed away at the age of 76. </p> <p>According to Somers' publicist, R. Couri Hay, Hamel “gave it to her a day early and she read the poem and went to bed and later died peacefully in her sleep.”</p> <p>The emotional poem was an expression of love from Somers' husband, as he struggled to define their intense relationships. </p> <p>“Love I use it every day, sometimes several times a day. I use it at the end of emails to my loving family. I even use it in emails to close friends. I use it when I’m leaving the house,” the note began, via <em><a href="https://people.com/read-love-letter-suzanne-somers-husband-alan-hamel-wrote-to-her-day-before-her-death-8358234">People</a></em>. </p> <p>“There’s love, then love you and I love you!! Therein lies some of the different ways we use love. Sometimes I feel obliged to use love, responding to someone who signed love in their email, when I’m uncomfortable using love but I use it anyway.</p> <p>“I also use love to describe a great meal. I use it to express how I feel about a show on Netflix. I often use love referring to my home, my cat Gloria, to things Gloria does, to the taste of a cantaloupe I grew in my garden.”</p> <p>“I love the taste of a freshly harvested organic royal jumbo medjool date. I love biting a fig off the tree. I love watching two giant blackbirds who live nearby swooping by my window in a power dive. My daily life encompasses things and people I love and things and people I am indifferent to,” he continued.</p> <p>“I could go on ad infinitum, but you get it. What brand of love do I feel for my wife Suzanne? Can I find it in any of the above? A resounding no!!!! There is no version of the word that is applicable to Suzanne and I even use the word applicable advisedly.”</p> <p>“The closest version in words isn’t even close. It’s not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction. Unconditional love does not do it. I’ll take a bullet for you doesn’t do it. I weep when I think about my feelings for you. Feelings… That’s getting close, but not all the way.”</p> <p>“55 years together, 46 married and not even one hour apart for 42 of those years. Even that doesn’t do it,” he added. “Even going to bed at 6 o’clock and holding hands while we sleep doesn’t do it. Staring at your beautiful face while you sleep doesn’t do it.”</p> <p>“I’m back to feelings. There are no words,” he concluded. “There are no actions. No promises. No declarations. Even the green shaded scholars of the Oxford University Press have spent 150 years and still have failed to come up with that one word. So I will call it, ‘Us,’ uniquely, magically, indescribably wonderful ‘Us.’”</p> <p>Somers and Hamel tied the knot in 1977, giving them 45 years together as husband and wife. </p> <p>Somers died on Sunday morning after “an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” her publicist said in a statement.</p> <p>Suzanne was best known for playing Chrissy Snow on the 1970s sitcom <em>Three’s Company</em> and Carol Foster Lambert on the ’90s family comedy <em>Step by Step</em>.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

5 must-have items for the cooler months

<p>As we head into the cooler months, the time of hearty soups and snuggly sleep-ins, let’s opt for fashions that make us feel cozy, warm and comfortable – all while still looking good. <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Suzanne Grae</a> will make the transition effortless with fabulous clothes that are both easy to wear and easy to care for. You’ll be confidently tackling your day and ticking off your to-do list with clothes that are subtly elegant and sophisticated. Here are the five must-have items from Grae’s collection that celebrates all women, from petite to plus-size. </p> <p><strong>The Wear-With-Everything Knits</strong></p> <p>You can’t beat a cozy textured knitted jumper as the temperature drops. </p> <p>Grae’s collection of <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/clothing/knitwear" target="_blank" rel="noopener">knitwear</a> effortlessly teams up with any outfit. You’ll be wearing your favourite knits on repeat as they’re available in all the trendy season colours like creams, pinks, blues, lilacs, and white. And you’ll be able to get one in each colour, with Grae’s knitwear starting from the budget-friendly price of $39.95. </p> <p>With a knit and denim combo, you can never go wrong. Or layer a knit cardigan over the top of a basic tee or blouse for a smart casual look that doesn’t skimp on warmth, comfort or style. Grae’s breathes fresh life into the knitted jumper with ombre prints and modern stripes that you’ll love season after season. </p> <p><strong>Love-Your-Body Pants </strong></p> <p>Yes, pants season is here. And Grae’s newest styles fit so perfectly that you’ll be loving your body all day, everyday. You’ll be living in Grae’s elasticated cropped pants while out and about. And keep yourself looking fresh and chic with their <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/clothing/pants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wide-leg pant</a>, which gives you plenty of room to move while you’re on the go. </p> <p>Autumn dressing isn’t complete without the perfect pair of corduroys, and Grae’s are top-class. Their cord jeans come in pink, green and camel and hug the body in all the right places. Pair them with your favourite knit and a loafer, and you’re all ready for a day of fun. You’ll find trousers that look good on you, whatever your shape, with all Grae's styles available from sizes 6-24. They’ll fit just right. You’ll be wearing them time and time again. </p> <p><strong>Everyday Shirts </strong></p> <p>Grae’s everyday <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/clothing/shirts-tops-clothing-szg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cotton button-down shirts</a> are fresh, light, and the finishing touch your outfit needs. No styling is required. Simply throw on, and you’re dressed and ready to tackle your day with confidence and ease. Or wear them unbuttoned over a basic fitted tee, that starts from $19.95 and delivers a two-for-one outfit. </p> <p>With the fluctuations in temperature the autumn months bring, you can roll the long sleeves up or down however you need. The breathable, flowing fabric creates a flattering silhouette on the body and looks good on every woman. It’s also for all women to embrace with shirts available in petite to plus-size. </p> <p><strong>Classic Shirt-Jacket</strong></p> <p>A classic shirt-jacket is always in style. And just enough to ward off a nippy breeze but not too bulky that it will weigh you down while you’re on the go. Grae’s <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/clothing/jackets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lightweight shirt-jacket</a> styles are ultra comfortable and will carry you through all the seasons with a bit of layering. Sitting at the waist, jackets have the perfect balance of structure and a loose fit to show any figure in the best light. Grae’s has options for every women’s body in every style and for every budget, starting from $59.95. </p> <p>A shirt-jacket will be the go-to item in your wardrobe and always be on rotation. Throw it on over a fitted singlet and be office-ready. Or take a more swanky approach with a skirt and jacket combo and enjoy a day out at the winery. </p> <p><strong>Relaxed-Fit Jean </strong></p> <p>A fabulously fitting denim never goes old. Grae’s <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/clothing/denim" target="_blank" rel="noopener">relaxed-fit jean</a> styles are designed to flatter every body and make you feel fabulous while you’re out and about. Dress up a jean easily with a pretty blouse and a wedge heel or boot, and you’re ready for dinner with friends in your smart-casual look. </p> <p>Be stylish every day with a relaxed-fit denim crafted from a soft cotton blend that makes moving around on the go super comfortable. It’s available in a range of modern washes and on-trend colours that you’ll be wearing from season to season. A pair of Grae’s denim that you’ll be wearing on repeat can be yours, starting from $39.95 and will make you feel good about every dollar spent.</p> <p><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://www.suzannegrae.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Suzanne Grae</a>.</em></p> <p> </p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

5 minutes with author Suzanne Daniel

<p><span>In <em>5 minutes with author</em>, <em>Over 60</em> asks book writers about their literary habits and preferences. Next in this series is Suzanne Daniel, journalist and communications consultant. After years of working for BBC, <em>The Sydney Morning Herald </em>and ABC TV, she is now serving on a range of community, philanthropic and public company boards. <em>Allegra in Three Parts</em> is her first novel.</span></p> <p><em><span>Over 60</span></em><span> spoke with Daniel to discuss daily word count goal, insights from books of the past, and why older writers should not be discouraged. </span></p> <p><strong><span><em>Over 60</em>: What is your best writing tip?</span></strong></p> <p><span>Suzanne Daniel: I find having a daily word count goal very helpful. For me it's 600 words, banked, every day on the days that I write and that's usually 4 days a week. Of course I often have to write significantly more than 600 words to have that number worth banking! </span></p> <p><span>I sometimes wish that I had started my fiction writing earlier but then I remind myself that I don’t think I could have written the layers within <em>Allegra in Three Parts</em> without having the layers within me that being the age I am now has delivered. I now want to encourage older writers because rich lives lived over many years gives great nourishment to good writing.</span></p> <p><strong><span>What book(s) are you reading right now?</span></strong></p> <p><span>I usually like to have a fiction and non-fiction on the go at the same time. I am reading <em>Unfettered and Alive </em>by Anne Summers and about to start <em>The Cellist of Sarajevo</em> by Steven Galloway.</span></p> <p><strong><span>What was the last book that made you laugh?</span></strong></p> <p><span>Parts of <em>Boy Swallows Universe</em>… although other parts made me cry and cringe!</span></p> <p><strong><span>What classic book do you think has not stood the test of time?</span></strong></p> <p><span>I think most books are a product of their times and often serve to illustrate attitudes and social norms at the point in history they were written. As such I like to think of them as insights rather than outdated. </span></p> <p><strong><span>Paperback, e-book or audiobook?</span></strong></p> <p><span>For me, I definitely like to read a physical book – paperback or hardcover – particularly because I spend so much time on the computer writing so it’s a relief to get away from a screen. I also enjoy audiobooks on a long drive.</span></p> <p><strong><span>What do you think is the most challenging work you’ve ever read?</span></strong></p> <p><span><em>Ulysses </em>by James Joyce.</span></p> <p><strong><span>What do you do when you’re not writing?</span></strong></p> <p>I have a background in journalism and social services and for many years now have served on public company, community and philanthropic boards. We have a small farm in Berry on the South Coast of NSW and I love spending time there as often as possible with my husband, family and friends. I have three children, six godchildren and many nieces and nephews so keeping up with them all is a time-consuming pleasure. </p>

Books

Our Partners