Turning a suicidal setback into a ‘Cultivated Comeback’
On a raw and powerful episode of Over the Fence Conversations, Steve Jones - Gympie born and bred, son of a stockman - shared the deeply personal journey that took him to the brink of life and back.
Hosted by Jonathan Bedloe from the Australian Men’s Health Forum and Tynan Narywonczk from Roses in the Ocean, the podcast gives voice to lived experiences of suicide and recovery.
“I make my bloody bed and I take that as a win.”
That’s where Steve starts every day now—a simple ritual that reminds him of the value of being alive. “We are gifted every day,” he said. “I project gratitude and love for the day.” But life wasn’t always this grounded for Steve.
Years ago, in the shadow of relationship breakdowns and overwhelming self-doubt, Steve’s life took a devastating detour. “My batteries had just run out,” he recalled. Despite running a successful business and presenting as positive to the outside world, inside he was spiralling. “I was positive on the outside, no one could read what was going on inside. Everyone else has stuff on, they don’t need to hear my worries.”
The death of his father—his wingman—hit Steve hard. His mind began to drift toward an escape, convinced he just needed to “go find dad.” The pain was silent but suffocating. “I couldn’t switch off from it. You go places I don’t want anyone to go.” He made a “permanent decision on a temporary part” of his life.
Rushed to emergency as a John Doe, Steve underwent a 48-hour operation. “I’d taken my last breath,” he said. But in what he describes as a vision or spiritual moment, he found his father again. “He just pointed at me like he used to point at the work dogs and said, ‘Stevey my boy, we don’t want you. You’ve got work to do. Go back. You’re not ready.’”
That was the beginning of Version 2.0.
Steve spent 11 days in a coma, his sons Jack and Harry told to say goodbye. But he fought back—29 days in intensive care, relearning how to write, how to think, how to live. “You’ve got to turn this around,” he told himself. “No one is coming to save you.”
Now, he lives each day with purpose and discipline. “I’m obsessed with helping people come back,” says Steve, who is now known as the “Comeback Coach.” He’s since signed a book deal with UK bestselling author Marco Robinson for the Start Over Movement, sharing his blueprint for transformation. He's also working as a consultant and mentor coach in the mining industry, with new opportunities emerging in the AFL and broader sporting circles.
Steve is driven by three daily pillars: education, conversation, and observation. He checks in with himself constantly—"Why am I thinking like this?"—and shifts focus towards actions that inspire, not distract.
“The greatest strength a human can have is to show vulnerability,” he said.
“Every lived experience has its own spices,” Steve says. “What took them in, what brought them out. Everyone needs a coach. I’ve got a few coaches around me now. One in the UK, and a good one in America. Teaching me how to connect with people and to coach people from any setback.”
Listen to the full Over the Fence Conversations with Steve Jones
Find out more about the National Lived Experience of Suicide Network