The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s support has been more than comforting for bereaved parents. For Toney and Brandy Roberts, whose daughter Englyn Maydisyn Roberts took her life five years ago, that support has been personal. “It helps me to survive personally,” Toney exclusively told HELLO! at Project Healthy Minds’ fourth annual World Mental Health Day Festival in New York City.
“Because I'm normally quiet to myself,” he explained. “If it's not me, it's my wife and the kids, but their support has helped me become more open to talking about how I feel to other men and women, other families that again, I normally would never have met, shouldn't have met, but I don't mind sharing my love and my care with them and receive the same in return. But it's because of Harry and Megan that this is all possible. And, of course our law firm, the Social Media Victims Law Center, they really helped bring us together with Harry and Meghan.”
© HELLO!Toney and his wife Brandy Roberts are both community managers for The Parents' Network, a support network for parents whose children and families have been impacted by online harm, formed by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Archewell Foundation.
The Duke and Duchess have been a part of Toney and Brandy's lives since about three years ago when they heard their stories and took action to get them “involved as a community.” “We just love them and every time we're in their presence, they come and give us this nice hug ,and [it] just lets us know that we're heard,” Brandy said. “They're our voice.”
© HELLO!Toney described speaking with Harry and Meghan as feeling like talking to their “brother” and “sister.” He said, “They use their status for good, and that's what people around the world need to realize. They truly have brought families together that shouldn't have never met because of the situation that we're all in. But they're awesome. Totally awesome.”
“I’m glad they met because they have something that you can't teach, and that's 'give a d-mn,'” Toney added. “They really care.”
Meghan gave the couple a wink at the World Mental Health Day Festival on Oct. 10 during her remarks at the “How the great rewiring of childhood caused an international mental health crisis, and how we can reverse it” panel.
© Rob Kim/Getty Images for Project Healthy MindsThe night before, at the 2025 Project Healthy Minds Gala — where the Duke and Duchess were honored with the Humanitarians of the Year Award — it was announced that The Parents’ Network would be joining forces with ParentsTogether, a non-profit organization that provides news and resources to families. Prince Harry called the partnership “a natural evolution to enable the community to continue to grow and have more impact alongside the rapid rise of technology.”
Meanwhile, Meghan stated that the expansion “represents both our commitment as well as the acknowledgement that we need to reach more families to create greater and faster change.”
“Together, we can and we will build the movement that all families and all children deserve. We know that when parents come together, when communities unite, waves are made,” the As ever founder continued. “We've seen it happen and we're watching it grow. And with your support, we'll continue building a safer digital world for all of our children.”
