Ben Meah: Mom remembers 'cheeky' 15-year-old found dead in the woods 2 weeks after trying to kill himself
RUNCORN, UNITED KINGDOM: A heartbroken mother has paid tribute to her "cheeky and adventurous" son after his body was found in a woodland. After being reported missing earlier in the day, Ben Meah, 15, of Spark Lane, Runcorn, was discovered dead at 10 am on Friday in a wooded area close to Norton, Runcorn. His mom Cindy Meah, 51, told the Echo that Ben had recently struggled with mental health issues.
Her son had grown increasingly tired from being sick for much of his senior year of high school, which caused him to lose touch with his friends. Lockdowns in previous years had made matters worse. Ben, who grew up in Norton and attended St Bertheline's Primary School and then Sandymoor Ormiston Academy, was described by his mother as a "very active" youngster. He was "adventurous" and had a "cheeky" sense of humor when he was younger, she said, as reported by Echo.
READ MORE
Parents, BEWARE! TikTok promotes suicide and eating disorder in teens, reveals new study
Ben's health issues
Cindy claimed that Ben enjoyed climbing and playing football, including for Heath Rangers Barca and Runcorn Linnets. Ben's former vitality underwent a significant setback when, at age 15, he contracted a "strep" infection and rheumatic fever, which resulted in reduced attendance at school and issues with two heart valves, according to Cindy, who described the sense of grief as feeling like "drowning." He could only manage three days of school a week at most because of his illnesses, with only Wednesday being reserved for academic subjects, as per reports.
Attempted overdose suicide
Cindy also voiced concern over Ben's attempted overdose suicide two weeks prior, but she claims she did get any follow-up calls since leaving the hospital. Ben's girlfriend had also tried to convince him to speak to a doctor, Cindy said, adding that she was concerned about a culture among men of not opening up about their problems. She pleaded with anyone in a similar circumstance to "please get help." Louise Evison, a friend of Cindy's, is now assisting with funeral planning and is managing a GoFundMe page to collect funds for the service. Ben's funeral will be held in Walton Lea, close to Warrington, on Friday, April 21, at 2 pm, as reported by Mirror.
"Hello, my name is Louise. This morning my best friend Cindy received news that no parent should ever have to hear," the GoFundMe page reads. "Her beautiful son Ben tragically took his own life at 20 years of age. Ben had just started a new job and was trying hard to get past some mental health issues that he had recently been suffering with. He was a beloved son, brother and uncle. He will be missed beyond belief but never ever forgotten. Rest easy beautiful boy."
The post added, "Like most young people preparing for stuff like this wasn’t high on his agenda, so there is no policy or plan in place to cover funeral costs. Please help me help my best friend at this difficult time, donations towards funeral costs would be greatly appreciated so we can give Ben the send off he deserves. Thank you for taking the time to read. Mental Health Matters."