Ten years to the day Roger Kebble and his son Brett let go of the reins to their lucrative mining empire, Roger's body was found slumped over the wheel of his Mercedes-Benz with a bullet to the head. On August 24 2005, Roger resigned as the nonexecutive chairman of Randgold & Exploration and Brett left as CEO. A month later, Brett's body, sprayed with bullets, was found in a Mercedes in Johannesburg.Roger's suicide this week in Cape Town bore uncanny similarities to that of Brett's "assisted suicide". Whether the 76-year-old planned his death to coincide with the anniversary of their departure from the company is unclear.story_article_left1Undisputed is that the former mining tycoon, renowned for fierce boardroom battles, was a "broken man". He was weighed down by years of depression and ill health. Four months ago he was dragged into a lawsuit that could have cost him his fortune.He might have been in mental turmoil, but before he pulled the trigger he sent an intimate SMS and photograph to his "partner later in life", Julie Adler. Speaking out for the first time, Adler said it was a scene of tranquillity captured from his bedroom window." Kebble stayed at the historic Stellenberg Estate in Cape Town which has internationally acclaimed gardens."He sent me a beautiful photograph of the gardens. With blossoms coming out on a tree and an ancient historic well on the [property]," said Adler.The couple had spent years together, travelling the globe in search of the best restaurants. On Thursday last week, they were having dinner - it would be their last one together - at one of their favourite restaurants when they discussed the possibility of him moving in with her. But his mood was dark and had been, said Adler, for the last year."He was not a walk in the park, but few powerful men are. He just conducted himself in a manner he knew would work best - his way. He made and lost fortunes, playing high-risk financial stakes and mostly making it big. His fortitude and grace in the wake of his son's death 10 years ago demonstrated a man of positive will and a nature prepared to face the most painful personal, financial and diplomatic storms," said Adler.full_story_image_hleft1"He endured difficulties lately, but I fear he'd lost the appetite to go to battle any longer. Fortune did not smile on him of late and he jokingly said he felt like the old bull being pushed from the herd."Roger fought a protracted battle with the South African Revenue Service over his tax affairs. In 2005, the taxman issued a R62-million claim for unpaid taxes . A year later it swooped on his assets, including 24 Persian rugs, 100 paintings, antique furniture and champagne. SARS eventually withdrew the claim.Adler said Roger always maintained that Brett was murdered and that it was not an assisted suicide as authorities had found. Roger's youngest son, Guy, also said Brett's death had set his father back, but they never expected he would commit suicide."His hobby was his grandchildren, I suppose. He's got two rugby-playing ones now. He heads off to Newlands, watches them on TV," said Guy, who lived next to Roger.story_article_right2"[Suicide] happens [when] they lose their sense of purpose and feel they are a burden. They don't want to grow old. He probably realised that he could not punch any more."Funeral arrangements were still being made but Guy said his father wanted his ashes scattered over his favourite cricket pitch at St Andrew's, where he went to school in Bloemfontein.Chris Nissen, a former ANC anti-apartheid activist and longtime friend, said Roger was an inspiration, working his way up from the mine shafts to the boardroom."In war, if a general sees he is losing the battle, he doesn't want to be captured by anyone. He falls on his sword."I would say that Roger didn't want to be a burden. He wanted to be as glorious as a general," said Nissen.Adler said Roger's suicide was not a cowardly act: "I think he made a decision from a position of tremendous strength and courage."davidsn@sundaytimes.co.za, nombembep@sundaytimes.co.za, jurgensa@sundaytimes.co.za..