‘He was loved, but just couldn’t see it’
Family pledges to help improve mental health services after tragedy
Tormented 25-year-old Tommy Thwaites took his own life at the weekend after years of battling mental torture he endured after being stabbed in Maidstone.
His family this week vowed to improve mental health services after losing their beloved ‘Tommy Boy’ on Saturday.
The former Valley Invicta pupil, from Maidstone, had dreamed of working as an entertainer on a cruise ship but was left with a facial scar after the knife attack which dented his confidence and damaged his mental health. He had been prescribed medication and an hour’s counselling session a week, which his family say was not enough.
Cousin Shelbey Thwaites said: “Mental health services need to listen to these people, if they had done that Tommy would still be here. “Everyone loved Tommy, he was very loved but he just couldn’t see it.”
A family have vowed to improve mental health services after their ‘Tommy Boy’ tragically died.
Tommy Thwaites, from Maidstone, took his own life on Saturday after battling his demons for four years.
The 25-year-old had dreamed of working on a cruise ship but after he was stabbed in a nightclub in 2015 his mental health began to deteriorate.
The former Valley Park pupil had been prescribed medication and was seeing a counsellor for an hour a week.
But, his cousin Shelbey Thwaites, said that was not enough.
The 24-year-old said: “Tommy was so outgoing and a party animal. He was loud and you would always hear him before your saw him.
“He was a very proud gay man, after the attack he had a scar across his nose and it affected his mental health but he didn’t get enough help - offering an hour a week counselling session wasn’t enough.
“The doctors really let him down, the mental health services need to listen to these people, if they had done that Tommy would still be here. “Everyone loved Tommy, he was very loved but he just couldn’t see it.”
With the dream of being an entertainer, Tommy had visited Ibiza last year and had booked to go back in 2020, a holiday he will never see.
The mum-of-one added: “He wanted to go to Ibiza in 2016 but he didn’t because of his mental health. He booked to go next year but he won’t get to go now. “The people who stabbed him, they got to walk free and in my opinion they murdered him. “I think that hurt him because there was no justice.” An online fundraising campaign has been set up in Tommy’s memory to help towards the cost of his funeral, entitled Tommy’s Colourful Farewell, it is hoping to raise £4,000.
Mrs Thwaites added: “If he was here I would say I was so very proud of the man he had become, he wasn’t ashamed to show who he was and he will be missed by everyone.
“His mum, Claire Fry, is in pieces, they were more than mother and son they were best friends.
“We want to give him the most colourful and bright send off possible.”
If you would like to donate please visit https://tinyurl.com/ vawlerf
The family will also be holding a lantern release at Barming Heath Field at 6pm on Saturday, November 30 and invites everyone to come along