Hopefully, any money I can raise for the charity Mind will help ensure that someone is there for another person during their darkest moments.

I first encountered suicide at a young age, when someone I truly looked up to took their own life. It devastated me, and it still hurts to this day. Then, years later, a close work colleague couldn’t take it anymore. He was a true gentleman who never reached out, despite there being so many people who would have been there for him.

Then it struck again within our own family. A young man who couldn’t see the light through the darkness, even though he was shining so brightly. They say it comes in threes, but heartbreakingly, it didn’t stop there. The worst happened yet again. Another family member — extremely intelligent and wise beyond his years — just couldn’t carry on.

There are so many unanswered questions, and holes left behind that can never be filled. They say “the brightest star burns out first,” and at times it feels painfully true. The grief left behind is unreal and lasting.