A teenager told his friends 'thank you for being the top lads you are' in his final voice message moments before he took his own life, an inquest heard.
George Thompson, 18, had been battling mental health problems and lows he described as ‘thunderstorms’ before his death. His dad, Dave Thompson, described George's death as the ‘hardest thunderstorm yet’.
On October 27, 2021, George was working at a property on Old Road in Cheadle adjacent to the railway lines. The apprentice builder was said to be visibly upset before taking a break - a short time later he stepped in front of a train.
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When he was standing on the line, he answered a call from his friend, Alex Mills, who urged him to come away from the train track and tried to tell him how much he had going for him. Unfortunately, George did not respond to these pleas.
“He was a wonderful young lad,” his father told an inquest at the Coroner’s Court in Stockport. “He was so caring and would do anything for anyone.
“He really loved helping people and he got a lot from that. He was everything you would want as a parent. He loved us and we loved him. He was just everything. He was funny, so funny. At the drop of a hat he could just have us laughing.
“George was the most beautiful, caring, intelligent, reliable, funny, loyal, handsome, courteous, polite, son and brother a parent could ever wish for. There was so much to come but we shall have to treasure the memories we have. But they’re not enough. We wanted more.”
Mr Thompson explained that George's good moments far outweighed the bad.
The lifelong Stockport County fan had often struggled with his mental health and previously tried to step in front of a train on September 15 but had misjudged when it was coming and was taken into hospital. He told the mental health team at Stepping Hill Hospital he was ‘gutted’ by what had happened.
During the inquest, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust were subjected to criticism from George's family, who could not believe the teen was assessed as low risk by the mental health team despite being considered a higher risk just three hours prior.
“The GP was shocked when I told him George was allowed home,” Dave Thompson said. “I can’t get away from the fact that three hours before he was classed as high risk but when he was in the room with Ms Dunne (conducting the mental health assessment) he was deemed low risk.
“There was almost no common sense thinking allowed and they have to stick to this criteria. Everything seems so rigid.”
On a number of occasions throughout the inquest, Mr Thompson and his son Will both stated “something needs to change”.
After George's death the trust conducted an investigation, which they say is a standard procedure when someone known to mental health services dies. No actions were put in place by Pennine Care as a result of the report but the trust says they listened to the family's concerns and staff have taken them on board.
According to his therapist Mike Andrews, George was making progress in his battle with the ‘thunderclouds’ in his mind and was really engaged with his sessions as well as those he had with Karen Taylor of Healthy Minds. Both clinical professionals spoke highly of George and his determination to heal himself, but these ‘thunderclouds got the better of him in the end’, Mr Andrews said.
After coming to a conclusion of suicide, assistant coroner Anna Morris said: “It is hard not to have been moved by how much he was loved by all who knew him.”
George’s mum Caroline, dad David, and brother Will thanked all those who have supported them through this time including Stockport County football club, those assisting the coronal investigation and everyone who has shared wonderful stories of George.
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