A family has been left heartbroken following the sudden death of a 'popular' dad aged just 42.
Lee Robinson had spent the day with a friend on May 13, and there was nothing out of the ordinary. However he was later found dead, leaving his family devastated.
Former partner Chione Matthews told WalesOnline : "That morning there was nothing in particular that was different."
The family, who are now urging for more support for men, said Lee had been suffering with his mental health however they believed it was getting better.
Chione added: "His sister rang him every day and she always said she could tell if he was having a good or a bad day. He had been at his friend's house working all day helping him and had come home after. He had had a good day. We are all trying to get our heads around it. We still don't know what was behind it."
Lee died later that day and it's thought, tragically, that he took his own life. His death has shocked both Chione and his family who had been helping him through his issues in the previous months. He left behind three children and was just 42 years old.
"He had always suffered with mental health but it was always something he got through," 36-year-old Chione said of Lee, with whom she shares seven-year-old daughter Ariella, adding that he had struggled more with his mental health in recent years.
Describing Lee, who also had sons Josh, 17 and Dewi, 16, as a "really hard-working man" who had worked as a plasterer and tradesman, she said: "He literally worked his butt off to provide for his family and kids. He idolised them and loved to spend time with his mum who only lived up the road. He moved into his newest house in 2012, I think, and it was completely run-down. He had to do every single room from scratch and did the whole house himself."
She added that Lee, from Pontypool, had also loved surfing and skateboarding and would regularly meet up with friends within those communities when he was younger. "He had various groups of friends. He used to go to Le Pub and TJ's in Newport when he was younger. He was quite a popular guy – he had loads of people who loved and cared for him.
"He had three children who he doted on and it's such a struggle for them. They loved him and the one thing they used to always say is that he loved a curry. That was his favourite takeaway. He has two sisters and was a real family man. He was really close to his father and when he passed away a few years ago it hit him hard."
Lee used to love holidays to Newquay and Cornwall and taking his kids to Butlins while Chione also said he enjoyed going to Llangennith in Swansea where his grandparents had a caravan. "He had a Volkswagen van he tried to do up but with the work on the house and everything he never got around to doing it," she said. "He loved to go different places in it and it was his pride and joy."
Chione said Lee's sudden passing has left the family, including his mother Pamela, "absolutely devastated". Around April this year he had told his family he had been given a counselling appointment for June but Chione said she felt people in Lee's position couldn't afford to wait so long for help. "We have realised there is not enough help available from the NHS.
"He had been with his doctor trying to get help that he needed, and he had lots of support from his family, but not enough from professionals. They need help when they are struggling – they can't afford to wait a few months."
In the wake of his death Lee's sisters Emma Jane Robinson and Nicole Rees decided to start a fundraiser to raise awareness about the need for support services for men with mental health issues. They are raising money for Tidy Butt, a local charity initially set up as a Facebook group in 2020 to offer a space for people to share their mental health struggles and which now offer wellness talks, mental health support, and community events. The fundraiser has already raised more than £1,600 in donations and you can find out more or donate to the cause here.
Chione and Lee's family have also organised a fun-day called Little Lee Fest on August 6, named after the nickname he used to have, which will feature a raffle with more than 100 prizes, a DJ set, music, mini golf, barbecue and hog roast, a tombola, and lots more. You can find out more about the event, which is being held at Pontypool United RFC, here.
"He was good friends with [fellow Pontypool native] Lee Dainton from [MTV show] Dirty Sanchez so Lee used to be known as 'Little Lee' to distinguish the two,"
Chione said. "After Lee died his sister Emma wanted something to focus on. We all felt men's mental health needed to be highlighted –men need to know that they can talk about it. With men there is so much stigma around being strong and being the one to take care of people that they have a massive burden on their shoulders. They just need to know it's okay to talk to people about how they're feeling.
"There are so many people who are in the same position and there are groups there that mean you are not alone. From a professional point of view there definitely needs to be more help available. Even if it helps one family. There just doesn't seem to be enough help out there. You get to A&E and they just send you on your way if they think you're all right. It isn't good enough."
The Samaritans is available 24/7 if you need to talk. You can contact them for free by calling 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or head to the website to find your nearest branch. You matter.
