Immy Nunn, a vibrant young woman known as Deaf Immy on TikTok, tragically passed away at the age of 25. Her extraordinary life was in constant jeopardy from extreme deafness and catastrophic mental illness. Nevertheless, she charmed the pants off almost 800,000 social media followers. Despite her struggles, Immy maintained a close bond with her family, especially her siblings and her beloved assistance dog, Whitney. Today, on the anniversary of her death, this article probes the tragic conditions that characterized her life and contributed to her premature death.
Born six weeks premature, Immy Nunn had to spend her first few weeks in the hospital. She was diagnosed with profound deafness at 18 months and acquired her cochlear implants at three years old. These implants allowed her to use her hearing and introduced her to a world of communication, socialization and engagement with peers. As Immy got older, starting at 14 years old, she wrestled with intense mental health issues.
Her mom, Louise Nunn, threw herself into helping Immy navigate these challenges. Louise had to quit her part-time job to take care of her daughter full-time. She learns to navigate a complicated mental health treatment system and becomes a fierce advocate for Immy’s care. For ten years, the family went to extraordinary lengths to protect Immy — all too often at huge emotional and financial sacrifice of their family.
“I was constantly scared of what she was going to do,” – Louise Nunn
Her family expected that Immy would start to recover in a mental health crisis facility, where she spent four years. Unfortunately for them, unsure or unsteady love often led the road to recovery to devastating potholes.
In November, Immy asked for advice on a pro-suicide online forum, and later bought poison through the site. This disturbing behavior concerned her close-knit family, who could not understand just how much pain Molly was in. To finish up her cut, on December 29 she attempted to heal herself and then she was forced to run to the hospital. She exited before receiving assistance from the mental health response team.
Despite all these horrendous occurrences, just hours before taking her own life, Immy seemed happy. This extreme difference between her public face and private pain came as a complete surprise to her family.
“You’d be sat in the evenings, and she’d say, ‘Mum: I’ve got an idea – I want you to be in it,’” – Louise Nunn
Louise spoke about how Immy’s character really came through in her struggles. She expressed excitement at being able to create content that resonated with others, stating, “I’ve had some that said: ‘She basically saved my life.’”
Immy’s bond with her family was an enduring aspect of her life. Her brothers and sisters dote on her and make constant efforts to lift her spirit. Yet even in moments of joy, such as celebrating small victories or engaging in creative pursuits together, the shadow of her mental illness loomed large.
“We ended up right back where we were. She was in her room smashing things over her head, blood everywhere,” – Louise Nunn
The use of the family’s ordeal to find ongoing support and training for Immy was like going through an obstacle course. When she seemed to be recovering, they would end up right back at first base.
” If she was at home, you wouldn’t leave her for a second,” she remarked, emphasizing the constant vigilance required to ensure Immy’s safety.
Whitney, Immy’s service dog, was very important in her life. While they argued a lot, the bond between them was undeniable. Whitney’s gift for feeling Immy’s feelings was a source of healing and happiness for Louise, but pain once Immy was gone.
“The dogs start crying when they hear her voice, especially Whitney – she still recognises Immy’s voice, and then that upsets me,” – Louise Nunn
As you can see, doing everything in their power to work the system and fight for Immy’s needs was an understatement. Unfortunately, instead of an apology after her awful death, families shared that this absence of acknowledgment from the mental health services has deepened their grief and frustration.