Grieving lad, 22, killed himself just weeks after his brother's suicide because he 'wanted to be with him'

Darryl Smith, 27, a barber from Blyth, was found dead at his home on June 13 this year after taking his own life, a coroner said.

His family suffered a devastating second tragedy when Darryl's younger brother Dylan, 22, died in the same way one month later.

The brothers were both friends with tragic Love Island star Sophie Gradon, 32, and her boyfriend Aaron Armstrong, 25, who were also found dead within days of one another.

Sophie was found dead on June 20 at her parents' home near Newcastle and Aaron was discovered dead at his home on July 10.

Dylan and Darryl's distraught dad Billy Smith said: "They were all friends, they had grown up together.

"They'd known each other all of their lives. These deaths highlight the fact there is a mental health epidemic among young people. There needs to be more help out there."

Shortly after the loss of his older brother, Dylan described him as his "best friend, brother and dad all in one" and wrote on social media that he "couldn't put into words how devastating" his death was.

An inquest into Dylan’s death heard how he "kept telling family members he wanted to be with Darryl" in the weeks before he was found dead at his home in Blyth.

Coroner Eric Armstrong said Dylan's family described him as having suffered mental health problems for "most of his life".

Mr Armstrong said: "He had been very close to Darryl and his death raised his mental health issues to the surface.”

The inquest heard Dylan, who was one of six brothers, was described as "too happy" after his brother's death, and his family believed he was "trying to cover his grief".

A coroner's report said Dylan had started drinking heavily after losing Darryl, and was last seen by his mother when he went to her house with a bottle of vodka on July 14, telling her he was going to see a friend.

Mr Armstrong said that at 6pm that night he sent a message to his partner Steph Wylam which worried her.

She tried to call him and asked a friend to go to his house when she couldn't get an answer.

The inquest heard how "he answered the door, looking angry and 'out of it', slammed the door and refused to engage further."

Police and paramedics attended and, when they were unable to get a response from Dylan, pulled the lock to gain entry.

He was found hanging in the house and despite attempts by paramedics to revive him, was pronounced dead in the ambulance at 1am.

A post mortem said the cause of death was hanging, but mentioned the raised levels of alcohol and cocaine in his system "could cause violence or confusion".

Mr Armstrong recorded a narrative verdict that Dylan “having taken excess alcohol and cocaine, took his own life by hanging.”

He added: "I don't believe the short form conclusion of suicide is relevant because I'm not satisfied he took a clear, rational decision to take his own life because of the presence of alcohol and cocaine."

After Dylan's death in July, dozens gathered at his hometown beach to release balloons into the sky.

Paying tribute to her boyfriend, Steph Wylam said: "Dylan was one of a kind, a jack the lad. He was so caring. He loved nothing more than to just be there for people and help as much he could.

"When we met Dylan said to me 'You will be mine'. A week later we started meeting up and seeing each other and from then on we were never apart.

"He was my world, my soul mate. I did anything and everything for him. He is just an amazing bubbly lad he is amazing in every way".


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