A teenager’s worries over climate change and environmental issues ultimately caused him to take his own life, according to his heartbroken sister.
‘Passionate activist’ Theo Khelfoune Ferreras, from Walthamstow, died on March 29, 2023, less than two months before his 20th birthday.
Now his sister Lisa, 18, has spoken out about the troubles that were affecting her older brother, who recently became a Greenpeace fundraiser, and what led to him ending his life so abruptly.
Lisa told MyLondon : “In the last years, Theo grew increasingly concerned and distressed about the effects of climate change and the destruction of the environment.
“The multiple crises happening around the word plus the effect of the pandemic, in addition to the pressures of being a university student made him anxious.
“As a person, he was really intense because he was really passionate about what he believed in and he would really make that known.
“He could be quite argumentative, but he just wanted people to understand his passions when it came to activism.”
Lisa last saw him at Christmas and says the family had plans to get together over Easter at their family home in Walthamstow.
But sadly, Lisa got a knock at the door from police on the evening of March 29 when she was told the devastating news.
She had to ring her parents to tell them, which she says was one of the most difficult phone calls of her life.
“No teen should feel suicidal,” she went on, “it’s insane.
“No one should ever go through that and choose to end your life.”
Theo was an activist and would participate in many demonstrations regarding climate change, the energy crisis, environmental crisis, cost of living crisis, animal rights and anti-racism.
He was a graduate of Croydon’s Brit School (in Film and Media Production, where he got a distinction), and a second-year student at Brighton University (Film BA), with aspirations to become a film maker to make documentaries about topics he really cared about.
“He wanted to dedicate his life to actually doing something,” Lisa said. “But Theo lost hope in the future and this devastatingly affected his mental health.
“He developed depression, but appeared to be doing better.
“He felt hopeless and that he didn’t really have control over these things and I think that definitely that played a huge role in his decision.
“But his contribution was positive and good and brought attention to lots of causes.”
The family wish to celebrate Theo’s vision and drive for a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly future and they have since set up a fundraiser in memory of him.
It’s already raised almost £9,500 for conservation and environmental work.
Lisa said: “I took the initiative of creating a fundraiser in order to hopefully ease the pain of this tragic loss on my parents.
“It has been a welcome distraction, but also a mind-blowing display of human compassion and support from family, friends and even strangers.”
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.
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