15th July 2019 

Almost three years later and this day is just as painful for all of those who knew and loved Connor.

My brother, Connor, was one of the most incredible people I’ve ever been fortunate enough to have had in my life. Funny, witty, determined - these are just a few words to describe Conn, but above all else, he was extremely selfless. He would do absolutely anything for those he loved, even if this was at his own expense. This was something I admired hugely about Conn, and was what made him so special to all of those he loved. I idolised him growing up and spending each and every passing day together, and I can say hand on heart that I wouldn’t be the man I am today without the lessons he taught me and the enormous impact he had on me throughout my childhood - and I think I speak on behalf of most people that are lucky enough to have met Conn when I say that. 

Conn had a long history with mental health issues growing up, especially throughout his teenage years. What we ignorantly put down as bad behaviour at the early stages was actually Connor struggling with his own mental health. In hindsight, although we tried so hard as a family to help and support Connor wherever we could, we can’t help but feel a sense of guilt seeing things play out the way it did. 

On the 15th July 2019, our world changed forever. I woke up on that Monday morning with the worst news I could possibly hear - Connor had taken his own life in the early hours of the morning.

This really threw me for a while. The ‘what ifs’ and ‘what could have beens’ continuously looped through my head, and still sometimes do. As hard as it was at the time, I’ve always strived to be a forward thinker - what happened to Connor is in the past and completely out of our control, however we can definitely focus on what is within our grasp and try our hardest to carve a better future for everyone else experiencing mental health issues. Conn may not be with us physically anymore, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try and help others with mental health issues.

And that’s exactly why we have chosen to raise funds for the Mental Health Foundation. Their core value of prevention of mental health issues sits really personally with my own values and beliefs. Mental health is one of those few things in life that we all have a common bond with, whether it’s good or bad. Therefore it’s crucial that we look after our mental health through the highs and lows, and get the support that we need when we need it.

Personally, I think one big factor causing the stigma surrounding mental health is that the issue just isn’t spoken about enough. So let’s all talk. Through hosting a football tournament, hopefully we can get people together and talk about mental health and our own perspectives on it. With time, hopefully we can start to understand each other a bit more and promote good mental health for all.

We will never stop until everyone gets the help and support that they need and truly deserve. Love you Conn 💕