TRACKING____The mum of a teen thought to have taken his own life during the lockdown in the UK has urged families to tell their kids “it’s okay not to be okay”.
Talented 15-year-old kickboxer Kian Southway died on March 31 at his home in Wales days after the start of the government’s coronavirus pandemic lockdown.
The schoolboy was known by family and friends as a “polite” teenager who thought of everyone, and an “incredible” older brother to sister Darcey.
But his parents have told how they think he felt ‘isolated from the world’ due to the Covid-19 lockdown, reports Wales Online.
His parents Jolene and Julian have told how despite having a “love for life”, young Kian’s mood changed in the space of a few days
Jolene Southway, from Treorchy, said: “It was so unexpected, I think we are still in shock. We’re numb.
“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. Boris Johnson announced lockdown on the 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.”
Kian held a black belt in kickboxing and was a former member of WCKA kickboxing club in Rhigos.
A video paying tribute to the teenager has also been made and shared by friends in the Penygraig Rugby Club U16s side, encouraging young people to open up.
