Boy, 15, ends life after 'feeling isolated' from world during coronavirus lockdown
The mother of a teenager who reportedly committed suicide during the coronavirus lockdown imposed in the UK is now urging families to encourage their children to speak out about their problems.
Kian Southway, 15, was a talented kickboxer who died on March 31 at his home in Wales — just days after the government's coronavirus pandemic lockdown began.
Kian's friends and family remembered him as a "polite" teenager and an "incredible" older brother to his sister Darcey.
However, his parents Jolene and Julian Southway, have now claimed they think he felt "isolated from the world" during the coronavirus lockdown. Speaking to Wales Online, they revealed how young Kian's mood changed in a matter of days despite having a "love for life."
"It was so unexpected, I think we are still in shock. We're numb," Jolene Southway, from Treorchy, said. "We need people to know Kian wasn't suffering from mental health issues, he wasn't depressed. We need people to know how quickly this happens. I think he literally felt isolated from the world due to this COVID-19."
"Kian loved life," she continued. "Boris Johnson announced a lockdown on Monday and he was gone by Friday. The gremlin took hold, he kept saying he couldn't wait for it to be over and that he wanted to fast forward it all."
According to the report, Kian was a former member of the WCKA kickboxing club in Rhigos and held a black belt in the sport.
"Kian was very sociable. He did have an air of shyness but he was very polite," Jolene said. "He thought of everybody and anybody and he loved being out and about. He was just amazing."
"He was an immense, incredible big brother to Darcey, he had her back all the time," she explained. "We didn't expect this at all. We constantly talk and we encourage the kids to talk, we don't hide anything. Kian knew it's okay not to be okay and he didn't talk. We will never know why."
The teenager's family now wants to encourage others to talk about their problems and seek help.
"People have been messaging saying their children have done it or attempted to or people have said they have lost people of the same age when they were young," the devastated mother continued. "You know it's out there but when it doesn't affect you it doesn't hit home. There are gremlins out there and it changes our kids. It has to stop."
"I just need people to talk, I need them to know it's okay not to be okay and that people really really love you and want to talk," she added. "There's numbers if you can't talk to loved ones."
Meanwhile, Kian's school Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhondda paid tribute to him.
"Our school is very sad to lose a very dear member of our family, Kian Southway. Our deepest sympathy goes to his immediate family and those closest to him," they said in a statement. "We shall come together to remember Kian when we can. Until then we hold Kian gently in our thoughts at Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhondda."
Kian's close friends have set up a fundraising page to support his family during this time and help raise mental health awareness among youngsters.