England wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow opens up on father's suicide and mum's brave battle against cancer
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England wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow has opened up about his father's suicide when he was just eight.
Bairstow has followed in his father David's footsteps, turning out for Yorkshire and England.
His ascension into the international fold came after a particularly tough childhood and Bairstow has opened up in his emotional new book, A Clear Blue Sky.
At the age of 46, Bairstow Snr took his own life at a time when wife Janet was suffering from the first of two bouts of cancer.
The England star had been training with Leeds United when he returned home to discover the devastating news.
"No one knows why he did it and and no one ever will. There's no point questioning it every single day because if you do that it will bring you down," he told the Mail.
(Image: Action Images via Reuters)
(Image: PA)
Bairstow was barely out of nappies when his dad hung up his bat after an impressive career.
Despite not being taught by his David, he is regularly told of the similarities between the pair's styles on and off the pitch.
"I've learnt a lot about Dad from going around the world and listening to other people. Whether I've been in Australia, the Caribbean, Leeds, Scarborough or London there's always someone who's got a story about him," he added.
"You always get those comparisons. I even got them when I was playing football for Leeds because Dad used to play for Bradford. Then there were comparisons in cricket because I batted a certain way. It's something that comes with the territory."
(Image: Getty Images)
Bairstow's mother Janet has now battled bravely against cancer twice - with the cricketer discovering the "hellishly tough" news of its return while on tour in India.
He wasn't initially told as his mum didn't want his performance to be affected.
Bairstow said: "You hear the word cancer and you don't know how bad it is. Knowing mum had been through it the first time and how bad it was then, finding out it wasn't as bad was reassuring."