An Edinburgh student has shared how his mum's death "came out of nowhere" after taking her own life when he was only 12 years-old.
Alex Spurr, 21, was left heartbroken alongside his dad and their two brothers in 2013 when their mum, Debbie, tragically passed away at 42, not long after moving from the UK out to Hong Kong.
Given the news after arriving home from school, Alex told Edinburgh Live how he was left in shock after seeing no warning signs or signals that something was wrong.
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Now studying in Edinburgh, the 21-year-old has launched a fundraising campaign to help support the children's charity, Winston's Wish, that gave a lifeline to his family during the worst time of their lives.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, he said: "At the time I was 12 so I didn't really know anything was going on before it happened and it came out of nowhere, everything was fine beforehand and then I remember coming home from school that day and being greeted off the school bus by two people and they were police, and I just thought what is going on.
"When I got home my dad told me my mum had died and I was in so much disbelief, I was crying and screaming, you can't believe it. It's so different as it because it's sudden it's not like a terminal illness that gives you a chance to say goodbye and prepare for it, and they're just gone.
"It was horrible, I remember that night be extremely sick, I couldn't sleep and every hour I was getting up and throwing up, it was just such a big shock.
"She was such an amazing person, she was my hero. She would just drop whatever it is and be there for you, wanting you to be happy and she was such a loving person, she always tried to get you to think positively about stuff as well.
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Helping to process the huge change in their lives, Alex's dad had contacted Winston's Wish when they moved back to the UK, with support workers making regular visits to the house.
Bringing the family together to discuss their grief, the charity also gave the boys one on one sessions to let out their emotions, a service that Alex explained had a huge impact on how they moved forward.
Now hoping to raise funds in order to help other families access the same help, he also shared how the fundraiser is a message to people to be grateful for their loved ones, and to take the time to show them what they mean to you.
He added: "Within the month after getting back they would send these two counsellors and they would bring us all together at one point and ask us questions about the whole thing, it was good that they were there to mediate it because if they weren't there it would be unlikely that we would have sat down together and talked about it.
"They helped us so much and the funds from this can allow them to keep sending people to families who are suffering. But also I wanted to get it out there that these things you can't always see happening, and it's so important to be there for people, as well as being grateful for those around you.
"I know one of my biggest regrets is not being grateful of every time my mum was there for me or helped me, you take it for granted because they're your mum and we probably don't tell people enough how thankful we are for them.
"But when they're gone you can't say that anymore, so it's important to tell them that while they're here so they know, and maybe that might keep them here as well because they know they're loved and valued."
You can donate to Alex's fundraiser here.
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