THE parents of a teen This Morning star who took his own life have made a heart breaking plea.
aged just 19 after developing addictions to and ketamine – which his loved ones say he was using to self-medicate his .
Matty Lock had been a guest on This Morning many times reviewing vacuum cleaners and other general mechanicsCredit: Rex
Matty with his parents Richard and ChristineCredit: Shutterstock
Matty made several appearances alongside Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on This MorningCredit: Shutterstock
The teenager’s condition had gone undiagnosed for years, and mum and dad Christine and Richard, from Sefton, Merseyside, have called for screening at and surgeries.
Matty made several appearances on the breakfast show as a vacuum cleaner expert, and was also a Labour councillor and campaigner.
Christine told : “I understand that when people have lost somebody, especially a child, they go on to fight for them. I’ve looked at that in the past and wondered how does the parent have the emotion to go on?
“But now I get it. It’s what gets us up. We don’t want to see another child take their life or have a poor mental outcome. We want children to thrive.”
She added that as parents they “didn’t understand” Matty and he “didn’t understand himself”, having only been diagnosed with ADHD – a neurodevelopment condition characterised by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity – at age 14.
There is growing evidence showing a link between the condition and addiction.
Christine and Richard have since set up the Matthew Lock ADHD and are desperate to tackle the extraordinary waiting times families face to get a diagnosis.
They believe digital screening in schools and better GP training could mean hundreds of thousands of children will get much needed support sooner.
Richard added if such a condition goes undiagnosed, “what does that do for the mental state of that person? They’re going to go into a deep spiral”.
On Tuesday, MPs heard calls for ADHD screening and support to be improved.
following Matty’s death in September 2023, who was a rising star in UK .
wrote on their X account at the time: “Everyone at This Morning is shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Matty Lock.
“Aged just 19. He was a delightful young man, a joy to work with and his passion for vacuum cleaners and general mechanics was infectious.
“His family came to the studio and they were so proud that he’d turned a childhood hobby into a career.
“We will miss him and send our condolences to his family.”
At the age of two he developed a passion for vacuum cleaners after getting a toy Henry.
And by the age of 13 .
Matty had a and other accounts under the name The Vac Mat.
You're Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, www.thecalmzone.net , 0800 585 858
- Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
- HUMEN www.wearehumen.org
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk , 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org , 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans, www.samaritans.org , 116 123
Matty seen in a final picture before his death aged 19Credit: X
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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