A distraught mother believes her son would will be alive should the schools remained open during the coronavirus pandemic.
Tracey Tyler from Bedworth, Warwickshire claims her son Sam took his own life as he felt isolated during lockdown, and warns other parents to look for the signs.
The 40-year-old Tyler had taken on an extra night shift on the coronavirus ward at her local hospital when she came home and found her 14-year-old son dead in his bedroom.
Moments before the boy’s death, he had been “laughing and joking’ while playing online games with friends and planning trips with them.
He told his friends he would be “back in two seconds,” but he never returned.
When she came home from her shift on May 25, Tracey found her son hanged.
After four months, Tracey found the strength to share Sam’s devastating story, hoping to save other children who are struggling as well.
She is urging parents to “ask the awkward questions”, and advocates that a “five-minute conversation could save [their] children’s life.”
Tracey also hopes that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson would not call for another lockdown, as “kids are suffering,” believing that more people died of suicide in August than COVID-19.
“Sam had everything. You would never think he would do this,” she said.
“Knowing my child has chosen to end his life, without leaving us any explanation, is hard. It’s tough. There was no note or anything.”
“An uncomfortable five-minute conversation could save them. I wish I’d done that with Sam,” she added.
The inquest into Sam’s death was opened on June 4 by the Warwickshire Coroner, but has not yet released the date for the full inquest.
Tracey had received messages of support from his teachers and school friends, and had been regularly checking in with her.
She also started campaigning to improve mental health education in schools, but she strongly believes open discussions should also take place at home.