A 21-year-old was found dead after telling his mother he didn’t think he’d make it through lockdown without his ‘huge support system’ of friends.
Father-of-one Red Gale, whose family are from Lampeter, Cardiganshire, sent a ‘goodbye’ message to his heartbroken mother Polly and his close friends on Wednesday, April 1.
Mr Gale’s sister Autumn, 26, has revealed ‘he struggled’ when coronavirus lockdown left him without the people ‘who cared about him’.
‘He had so many friends and family who cared about him but when the rules started he lost that huge support system,’ she said.
Father-of-one Red Gale, whose family are from Lampeter, Cardiganshire, sent a ‘goodbye’ message to his heartbroken mother Polly and his close friends on Wednesday, April 1
‘We tried really hard to take the pain away from him but he struggled.’
London-born Red’s family confirmed the talented singer and gym enthusiast had taken his own life.
Autumn said: ‘He was let down – we reached out to services, GPs, hotlines and everything but as soon as the pandemic started it felt like he was being passed around and that they closed the doors on him.
‘Everything was about the virus.’
The family said Red was a loving dad to his little girl and often helped other young people with their mental health.
Autumn added: ‘My brother was funny, loyal and thoughtful, he went above and beyond for so many people.
‘He had been struggling with his mental health for a couple of years and was let down so many times.
‘His friends and family, we were all fighting for him but he couldn’t do it anymore and gave up the fight.’
Mr Gale’s sister Autumn (pictured), 26, has revealed ‘he struggled’ when coronavirus lockdown left him without the people ‘who cared about him’
She revealed she had taken her brother to the GP two weeks before lockdown, but was told to go to a walk-in centre 30 miles away.
His mother Polly told Wales Online: ‘He wasn’t in the right mental state for that and we couldn’t get Red there.
‘Then the weekend before, we phoned the surgery but it was “out-of-hours” and we were advised to phone 101 but were on hold for hours and couldn’t get through because the line was so busy.’
After the NHS clap on Thursday the S4C building in Carmarthen was lit Red and a picture of him was projected on the front of the building.
In a tribute to her son, Polly said: ‘You had a soft, warm and loving heart.
‘A heart that would fiercely protect the vulnerable, because you understood how it felt.
‘You lived with a wounded heart for far too long and I wished everyday that the universe would protect you to heal that beautiful heart of yours.’
Red’s funeral was streamed on Wednesday, April 15.
And a GoFundMe page set up to raise money for the costs has raised £4,000 from 136 donors.
A statement on the page reads: ‘Red truly was one of a kind and loved by many. His charismatic and enchanting personality and his joker ways are only a few of the many reasons why he was so popular and loved.’
The family is calling for more action and support for people struggling with mental health during the lockdown.
Dr Warren Lloyd, clinical director for mental health at the Hywel Dda University Health Board said mental health services were deemed ‘essential’.
He said: ‘Mental health crisis provision is designated an essential service for people of all ages and have been preserved.
‘They will be further enhanced as and when required in response to the Covid-19 pandemic for people both in hospital and within the community.’
An inquest is expected to be held into Red’s tragic death later this year.
- For confidential support in the UK call the Samaritans on 116123 or click here for details.