HE FELT HE FAILED HER” – 11 Years On, Tragic Details Resurface About Peaches Geldof’s Death and the Pain Left Behind
Today marks 11 years since the devastating loss of Peaches Geldof, who died from an accidental heroin overdose on April 7, 2014, at just 25 years old.
Her husband, musician Thomas Cohen, previously shared the heartbreaking moment he discovered her lifeless body. In a 2017 interview, he admitted he was “not surprised” and continued caring for their two young sons for nearly an hour before calling for help.
Peaches, daughter of Sir Bob Geldof and Paula Yates, left behind not only grieving parents and a widowed husband but also her sons, Astala and Phaedra, then just two years and 11 months old. In a haunting detail, baby Phaedra was reportedly playing near his mother’s body when she was found.
Sir Bob Geldof has since spoken publicly about feeling he “failed” his daughter – a guilt that continues to shadow the tragic anniversary.
Death of Peaches Geldof ‘not a surprise’
Speaking to the German newspaper Bild, Thomas previously revealed: “When I found her, I was not surprised. I thought to myself at that moment, yes of course – you had to do that. What I can remember, it must have been an hour after I found her, that it was time for the kids’ lunch.”
He then added: “They needed their lunch. So I took the children’s chairs to the table, took the yogurts out of the fridge, the bananas….”
They are, miraculously, having happy childhoods.
Two years on from her death, he also reflected of his sons, who were, by then, four and five: “I think the most important thing is to give them stability and safety after losing their mother so early. They have now lived longer than they knew their mother – they were just one and two years at the time. They are, miraculously, having happy childhoods.”
Sir Bob Geldof’s reaction
Thomas wasn’t the only one who wasn’t surprised Peaches had died.
Speaking to the Guardian in 2016, Peaches’ father Sir Bob Geldof said: “Part of me kind of half-expected it with Peaches, to be honest with you. The way she was carrying on, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
He also opened up to ITV News. Speaking in 2014, he admitted he blamed himself for her death. “You blame yourself. You’re the father who is responsible and clearly failed.
“For anybody watching, who has a dead kid and you’re a parent, you go back, you go back, you go over, you go over. What could you have done? You do as much as you can.”
Asked if he knew about his daughter’s drug addiction, he said: “Of course I knew about it and we did more than talk about it, yeah. She was super bright. Too bright. She knew what life was supposed to be and God bless her, she tried very hard to get there. And she didn’t make it.”
An inquest heard Peaches had started using heroin again in February 2014, two months before her death. Before that, she had been taking the substitute drug methadone for two and a half years.
Peaches’ mum was the late Paula Yates. She also died of an accidental heroin overdose in 2000, when Peaches was aged 11.
She was laid to rest in a church just outside Faversham, in Kent, where Sir Bob lives.
Thomas Cohen moves on
Widower Thomas has now moved on from the tragedy of Peaches’ death. He started dating model Yasmin El Yassini in 2019. He revealed recently: “It’s a relief to actually be able to love someone.”
His sons are now aged 11 and 12.
