”I’M SORRY FOR EVERYTHING”: DEPRESSED RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER HANGED HIMSELF AFTER FIANCÉE ENDED ENGAGEMENT
A
rugby league player who was planning to marry hanged himself just four
days after his bride-to-be broke off their engagement, an inquest heard.
Anthony
Hughes, 30, was due to tie the knot with Charlotte Thompson after a
four-year relationship but it crumbled due to his long battle
with depression.
He sent a text to Charlotte which read “I’m sorry for everything” before saying ”bye” to her in a phone call.
The
father-of-one was later found dead on July 10 at his home in Wigan,
Greater Manchester, by his mother after he sent her a text urging her
not to go to his house.
Following a hearing into Mr Hughes’ death, Miss Thompson urged men to seek help and not be “embarrassed” by depression.
“Anthony was amazing – a brilliant dad and a brilliant partner. He was really loving,” she said.
“But the depression did come on quickly so it was still a shock when it happened.
“People are still embarrassed by depression even though it is becoming more recognised now.
“It’s
not something to be ashamed of and men who feel as though they are
suffering should go forward and get help as soon as they recognise they
have a problem.”
Earlier the Bolton inquest heard how Mr
Hughes – a winger for Wigan St Pat’s of theNational Conference League
Premier Division – had played rugby league for England schoolboys and
worked as a sports youth development officer alongside volunteers from
the Prince’s Trust.
He had suffered from depression since 2005 after a series of failed relationships.
He tried to take an overdose in that year but was not prescribed with anti-depressants until 2011.
Last year police found him preparing to jump from a motorway bridge, but was talked down and taken to hospital.
Miss
Thompson said of her relationship with Mr Hughes: “We had our problems
as people do. He did have down periods and up periods with the
depression which we worked through.
“There was a strain
because of his problems and around the end of May we decided to have a
trial separation where I moved back to my parents’ house.
“Around
July 6 I decided the relationship couldn’t continue. I still saw him
but he didn’t take it well at all. I saw him and he was really upset.
“He didn’t go to work that week and he was really down but I stayed with him on Monday 7 then went to work on the Tuesday.
“He
was still upset and wasn’t going to work. During that day I received
texts from him and some of those stated he intended to harm himself.
“He also threatened to kill himself during the texts. I didn’t think he was being serious.
“I
saw him on Wednesday July 9 and he seemed a lot more positive. He text
me at six o’clock the next morning and said he had been up all night and
it was as if he finally accepted the relationship was over.
“He
was apologising, saying ‘I’m sorry for everything’. Looking back, it
seems he had made the decision – but he wasn’t making threats like he
had been.
“He rang me at about 12.20pm when I was at work. We spoke for about a minute and I said I would ring him back later.
“He paused for a while and said ‘bye’ and that was it. I tried to ring him as soon as I could but couldn’t get hold of him.
“He
was very troubled by depression but from around November to May he had
made lots of progress and was mostly back to his usual self – but when
we had a falling-out he went right back down to rock-bottom.”
Mr
Hughes’ mother Patricia, a pub landlady said: ”He was the perfect son.
He was very active and enjoyed sports, especially rugby league. In his
job he helped a lot of young people and found it very rewarding.
“His depression started around the time he broke up with his son’s mum. He became more withdrawn, his work suffered.
“Before
that he never felt sad at any time, he couldn’t process that feeling.
He was happy-go-lucky and succeeded in everything he did but then
everything just turned upside down for him.”
She added: “He
and Charlotte were planning to be married but his last bout of
depression came on so severely. I don’t think any of us could see it
coming.
“He had been getting on with his life. He came to me
and it had been going on because he and Charlotte had split up which had
been brought on with his depression.
“He came to see me and told me he was going to do it. He told me he was going to kill himself.
“We
had arranged an appointment with the mental health crisis team for the
earliest time we could. My last contact with him was a text on the day
he died where he asked me not to go to his address.”
Mr
Hughes’ GP Dr Naveen Lokikere, said: “We spoke about a possible suicide
attempt when he had been found with a tie around his neck.
“He
confirmed that he was feeling better but a further appointment was
arranged. He said he had bounced back and was not feeling suicidal.”
On the day of his death Dr Lokikere spoke to Mr Hughes and offered him an appointment but he failed to show up for it.
Recording
a suicide verdict coroner Rachel Griffin said: “He was a popular young
man with many friends, was very close to his family and was a very
hard-worker.
“His most recent job as a youth development
officer saw him help a lot of young people and he did considerable work
to help others.
“Unfortunately Anthony had problems in his
life. Depression is an illness and one that is difficult and challenging
to overcome and quite clearly he had periods when he was well and in
good spirits and also periods of very low mood.
“For years he battled with that illness and worked hard to combat it.
“In
early July following a temporary separation and reduced contact with
Miss Thompson, the relationship between them came to an end which
distressed him very much and saddened him and he found it very difficult
to deal with.
“This is a very tragic case as Anthony was
clearly a very well-liked and well-loved young man who was instrumental
in his work helping others, but sadly had his own problems to fight
which he did try to.”
Via – Mirror UK
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