Matt Preston has opened up emotionally about losing his brother to epilepsy, a loss that left a 35-year hole in his life.
The former Masterchef judge and food critic, 62, tragically lost his younger brother William, aged 22, to sudden and unexpected death from epilepsy (SUDEP) in 1988.
A little-known condition occurs when a healthy person with epilepsy dies suddenly – not from a seizure-related accident – and the cause of death is not found.
Reflecting on the devastating loss, Matt said his brother William's absence from his life is still felt on a daily basis.
“The trauma is always there, it's a 35-year loophole,” he told the Herald Sun ahead of SUDEP Action Day on October 18.
'You have moments, he's 58 now, and there's a sense of emptiness. We think our sorrows are private, but they are often shared.
Matt, who worked as an advocate for Epilepsy Action Australia, recalled his mother Jennifer's heartbreaking experience when William's body was discovered.
'She called the ambulance and the first time she realized he was dead was when they came with a big sheet of paper with a big blue sticker on it that said fridge,' she shared.
Matt Preston (pictured July 2023) has opened up emotionally about losing his brother to epilepsy, revealing the loss left a 35-year hole in his life.
She told how the devastating experience inspired Jennifer, who died in 2022, to become a passionate advocate for SUDEP Action.
'She was outraged at how insensitively it had been handled and wanted to make sure there was support for those bereaved. A good way to remember William is to talk about it,' he said.
This is not the first time Matt has spoken publicly about his brother's death, having previously admitted that William's family were unaware of the condition before his death.
'Basically we know nothing. My people know nothing. We had an idea that he was in that danger and then he died,' she told Noah in Fitzy and Whippa in 2023 with Kate Ritchie.
The former Masterchef judge, 62, lost her younger brother William at the age of 22 in 1988 to a sudden and unexpected death from epilepsy. Matt (center) is pictured with his brother and two sisters
'It's a hard story to tell, but I'm proud of how my mum dealt with it, setting up a charity with other mums to support her in that situation.'
Elsewhere, Matt recently hinted that he and his former MasterChef co-star Gary Meegan are working on an exciting new project.
The former judges, who left the Network Ten cooking competition in 2019, reunited at the Channel Seven offices in Sydney in June.
While it's unclear what plans Matt and Carrie may have discussed with Seven, Carrie's rep confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that they are working on several new ventures.
'Gary and Matt do a lot of projects together. One is luxury escapes, travel tours,' a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
Elsewhere, Matt recently hinted that he and his former MasterChef co-star Gary Meegan are working on an exciting new project (both pictured with George Calombaris, centre).
'The first two sold out in 24 hours, India and Vietnam, and the Sri Lanka tour is on sale, and more are now being planned.'
The duo teamed up with fellow former co-star George Calombaris in May to raise funds for Bowel Cancer Australia.
The trio took over the kitchen at the Hotel Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula for a Friends of George event.
They all agreed to reunite for the cause, in support of George's late father Jim, who died of illness in November last year.
