A British student, 17 years of age, named Matthew Mckell, was found dead in a park in the city of Kent, on May 7.
According to Matthew’s older brother, Chris, he had left his notebook, which contained writings on how he felt about the coronavirus lockdown and his worries about his performance at school.
Emergency services tended to the boy when he was located, but sadly, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Moreover, authorities did not categorize his case as suspicious.
Matthew’s family has called on students to be more open about their internal struggles regarding the current crisis and their education.
Chris talked about his brother writing dark thoughts in his notebook and that it was hard to read. He says he did not know of the psychological struggle his brother was engulfed in.
He also said that Matthew was doing great in school and that his friends even said he was thought of as the smartest student of the year. He shared how his younger brother spent the majority of his time studying, even during break times at school, which proved how much dedication he had for his education.
Chris said he believes Matthew enjoyed school and was quite happy with his educational results.
And since he was performing so well, Chris said he did not know that his brother worried about his academics.
Chris reminds other school kids that if they’re worried about the lockdown, they should not be because it is only temporary and they will have plenty of time to make up for the time they have lost.
He also said that people should not think about it as the end of everything and should seek advice and help if they feel that the situation is weighing them down too much. He shared that having to turn to someone and talk about his issues was one of his brother’s worst fears.
He added that Matthew felt like turning to someone regarding his issues would just be him bothering them, or adding to their own problems.
Chris wants young people to know that it definitely isn’t a bother and that it is crucially important to open up if you struggle on the inside.
Police have shut Dunorlan Park, where Matthew’s body was discovered, while they run their investigation. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council called on visitors not to do their workouts in the normally busy park. Flowers for Matthew have been placed all through the area.
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