Charlotte Dawson held many careers throughout her life, though she was almost always tied to the fashion industry in one way or another. She dropped out of high school to work as a secretary and was discovered and signed with Ford Models. When Dawson turned 17, she moved to Sydney, Australia, to begin her new career. She spent much of the 1980s walking down various catwalks showing off the latest top designers' fashions. Her modeling opened doors to a writing career, and in 1997, she became the Beauty and Fashion Director for Women's Day.
Dawson later became the Style Director at New Idea, and spent the rest of her life penning editorials and posting on her blog. Of course, Dawson wasn't limited to writing; before long, she was snatched up by several networks, including E! News, Network Ten, and several others. She was probably best known for her role as a judge on "Australia's Next Top Model" and from the second season of "The Celebrity Apprentice Australia."
In 2012, Dawson became the target of Twitter trolls, resulting in a suicide attempt. She survived, became an outspoken proponent of anti-cyberbullying campaigns, and was named the anti-bullying ambassador for the National Rugby League. She worked in this capacity for nearly two years, but on February 22, 2014, Dawson died by suicide in her home at the age of 47. Cosmopolitan described the impetus of Dawson's suicide as "extreme trolling," which she'd been subjected to for the previous two years.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
