Scott Hastings, the former Scotland rugby international player, has said his wife faced her mental health problems with “amazing courage and humility” following her death last month.
In a statement to mark World Mental Health Day, he described Jenny Hastings as “the most beautiful and loving human being” and thanked the emergency services who “worked tirelessly” to find her.
He said their support “allowed us to cope at such a devastating time in our lives” after she disappeared on Sept 3 while wild swimming at Wardie Bay in the Firth of Forth, near Edinburgh.
Her body was recovered four days later, five miles from where she was last seen. The 60-year-old had struggled with mental health issues for many years and her family believed she wished to “end her suffering in what was a regular and healing place for her”.
Mr Hastings is one of Scotland’s most-capped rugby players, making 65 appearances during his career. He also represented the British and Irish Lions twice with his brother Gavin.
In a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, the 59-year-old said: “My wife Jenny faced her own mental health struggles with amazing courage and humility.
“She was the most beautiful and loving human being, who continually put others ahead of herself, often at the expense of her own health.
“Thanks to Police Scotland and their team of specialist search officers, the emergency services, RNLI, HM Coastguard and oceanographers who worked tirelessly to find Jenny. Their communication and support allowed us to cope at such a devastating time in our lives.”
Mr Hastings said he and his two children, Corey and Kerry-Anne, had laid rocks painted in memory of his wife in their garden and at Wardie Bay.
He asked his followers to do the same and “place it in your favourite place to brighten up someone else’s Mental Health Day”.
The rugby legend also thanked people who had attended a memorial event in Edinburgh called Jenny’s Big Splash last month, saying his wife had been given “the most incredible send off and we will treasure her celebration of life forever and always”.
“Jenny was a great believer in helping others and gave her time to many causes,” he said.
“To continue her acts of kindness, we would encourage you to share your love, time and energy with someone or something in Jenny’s memory. This would be greatly appreciated and we know she would have loved that.”
Mrs Hastings previously went missing seven years ago for 36 hours before being found 10 miles from her home in Warriston, Edinburgh, without a mobile phone.
In 2014, she attempted to take her own life amid a decades-long battle with depression. At the time, she explained that she had “just wanted to get away”.
When she went missing last month, police classified it as a “high-risk missing person case” because of her mental health struggles.
She and her husband were both ambassadors for Support in Mind Scotland, now called Change Mental Health, which is a mental health charity.
For confidential mental health support call the Samaritans on 116123, visit a branch or their website.
