In a series of profoundly moving videos that have captivated TikTok, a British woman has laid bare the unimaginable grief of losing her family to a murder-suicide, claiming the social media platform became her most affordable form of therapy.
Emily Long's world shattered in 2018 when her father, David Long, shot and killed her mother, Janet Long, and her sister, Katie Long, at their family home in Spalding, Lincolnshire, before turning the gun on himself.
Now, she uses her TikTok account to process the complex trauma, stating that traditional counselling was financially out of reach. "Therapy is expensive," she explains in one viral clip, "so I just come on TikTok instead."
A Platform for Grief and Connection
Her candid posts detail the raw and often conflicting emotions that follow such a tragedy. She speaks with startling honesty about the love she still holds for her father despite his horrific actions, a nuance rarely captured in headlines.
Long's content has resonated deeply with millions, creating an unexpected community of support. Followers flood her comments with messages of solidarity, thanking her for giving a voice to their own unspoken struggles with grief and mental health.
The Harrowing Events in Spalding
The incident that sparked this journey of public healing occurred on October 29, 2018. Lincolnshire Police discovered the bodies of 57-year-old Janet and 19-year-old Katie alongside 57-year-old David after being called to the property on the back of a devastating 999 call.
An inquest later concluded that David Long had murdered his wife and daughter before committing suicide. The family tragedy left Emily to navigate a landscape of loss that few can comprehend.
By sharing her story on a global platform, Emily Long challenges the stigma surrounding mental health and opens a crucial dialogue on the accessibility of support, proving that sometimes, help and healing can be found in the most modern of places.
