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A grandson is urging people to “pick up the phone” and talk to their loved ones and vulnerable people in isolation after their 82-year-old grandfather committed suicide during the coronavirus pandemic.
James Parnaby said his grandfather’s death was one of the “hidden effects of the coronavirus” in a Facebook tribute that described Dennis Ward as “life and soul at family parties.”
He said that his grandfather loved betting on horses and entertaining those around him with stories. “So when I woke up to a call from my father last night to say ‘your grandfather committed suicide,’ it was a huge surprise and hit the family like a ton of bricks and it will be difficult for us all to understand.”
Ward grew up in Coventry, but spent much of his life in South Birmingham with his wife of 60 years, Valerie Ward. He had worked at the Jaguar Land Rover in Castle Bromwich, a village in the West Midlands. The family confirmed to the Guardian that Ward had died at his Kings Norton home on Saturday.
“If you are reading this, I ask everyone today to just pick up the phone for their parents, grandparents, friends or any vulnerable person to check on them and ask if they are okay and if they are coping. I never had a chance to talk to him as I thought he would be fine and I would see him on the other side, ”Parnaby said.
Parnaby has created a fundraising page for Ward’s memory charity Mind, which has raised nearly £ 2,000. He hoped that the funds would help raise awareness of mental health problems, particularly during the current crisis.
“If you could kindly donate something, be it 5p or £ 50, it would mean everything to us. This great charity helps people with any kind of mental health issues. The coronavirus pandemic is having a huge impact on our mental health.” , wrote.
Earlier this month, Professor Rory O’Connor, an expert leading the UK assessment of the psychological impact of the coronavirus outbreak, said that people who feel trapped and alone during the coronavirus blockade should be identified quickly and receive the help they need.
Police have registered early signs of an increase in suicide and suicide attempts during the closure.
• In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted at 116 123 or email [email protected] or [email protected]. In the United States, the national lifeline for suicide prevention is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the Lifeline crisis helpline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.
