Rugby player was found dead after mental health fears
ARUGBY player who wanted to join the Army was found dead just months after spending time in hospital for his mental health.
Lewis Isaac was 24 when he died on October 3, last year, just months after receiving treatment for acute psychosis at University Hospital Llandough, an inquest heard.
The day before his death, Lewis attended an induction day at the Maindy Barracks in Cathays, having expressed an interest in joining the Army since he was 16.
Later that day, he told his mother Martine Morse, that he was worried he would not be able to join the Army because of his mental health history.
“Lewis always felt his mental health would not allow him to join,” Mrs Morse said in a statement read at the Pontypridd Coroner’s office.
Lewis, who was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome aged six, and his mother had been out separately that evening. Mrs Morse said they met on their way home and she could tell Lewis had been drinking. Before going to bed he said to her: “If I don’t get into the Army, let’s make a pact.”
Mrs Morse added there was no sign that anything untoward would happen when they both went to bed, but she sadly found him hanged the next morning.
A toxicology report found Lewis had 103 milligrams per decilitre of alcohol in his blood at the time of his death. The legal driving limit is 83. No recreational drugs were found in his system.
“Lewis had a happy childhood, he was diagnosed with Aspergers when he was six. He had a massive heart, he found it impossible to leave anyone, he was so caring,” his mother said.
Mrs Morse and her partner David Isaac, Lewis’ father, paid tribute to their son at the time of his death, describing how he was always thinking of other people and made a big impact in many people’s lives.
“In the weeks before his death everything was looking up. He seemed to be getting better, he promised us he would not do anything like this,” added Mrs Morse.
She explained that Lewis had battled with his health for several years, and in February 2019 was admitted to Llandough Hospital, where he was an inpatient for six weeks following a diagnosis of acute psychosis.
When Lewis was discharged from the hospital in March, he continued to receive weekly cognitive behaviour therapy, as well as anti-psychotic and anti-depressant medication, according to Dr Somashekara Shivashankar, his consultant psychologist.
Speaking at the inquest in Pontypridd, Dr Shivashankar explained that Lewis was very ill during his hospital admission in March 2019. On meeting him following his discharge in June, Dr Shivashankar said it was clear Lewis’ health had improved.
Dr Shivashankar was the last contact Lewis had with a member of his mental health team on September 26.
He told the hearing: “On that day Lewis was positive, he did say he sometimes has low motivation, but there was no evidence of any psychotic symptoms.”
Dr Shivashankar advised Lewis that his mental health would not prevent him joining the Army, but told him he had to get better first.
He added that while Lewis showed signs of depression, he was not clinically depressed and there was no immediate concern for his life.
Assistant coroner David Regan said he could not confidently say Lewis intended to take his own life and delivered a narrative conclusion for Lewis’ death.
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