The University of Manchester has apologised for a statement which ‘caused further upset’ over a student applicant who took his own life.
Rory Wood, 27, was sadly found dead on Tuesday after going missing on Sunday. His family have told the Manchester Evening News they believe he took the decision to end his own life.
In one of his last tweets, Rory, from Hereford, said that he had lost £1,000 that he had paid to the University of Manchester as a deposit ahead of starting a Master's degree in September. He said that he had not made enough money to fund the costs of the move or studying in the city and described how 'everything felt impossible and unliveable'.
Yesterday, the University issued a statement on the matter which drew a backlash on social media. The post suggested Rory’s application was ‘still open' and had not been ‘rejected by the University' — it also added the University could not find any record suggesting any request for a refund.
Now, 18 hours after its first statement, the University has apologised for its communication in the incident. A new statement, released just after 2.30pm today, said: “The police have now confirmed that Rory has tragically passed away. This is deeply distressing and we are extending our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.
“We are really sorry that our statement yesterday caused further upset, which was certainly not our intention. It was to try and help address intense interest while we were actively seeking further details.
“We will of course do everything we can to understand what has happened in this tragic case, including any lessons we can learn. We will continue to offer our support to Rory’s friends and family."
Earlier today, Rory’s brother, Dan, told the MEN that his sibling ‘was suffering with mental illness for a long time and it has always been a struggle’. A family tribute added: “Thank you for all of your love for our beautiful son, brother, nephew and cousin, Rory. We are completely humbled and overwhelmed by the messages of support on Twitter.
"We realise that there are people on here that truly loved him and the fact that he made your days just a little bit brighter brings a smile to our faces in these tragic times. Rory may not have mentioned it on here but he has always had loving and supportive friends and family that tried everything to help him but his battle with his brain sadly overcame him.
"We ask that Rory's legacy is the increased awareness of mental illness - please all look after yourselves and always remember to speak out. Rory completing his bachelors degree in politics, philosophy and economics last week was one of the proudest moments of our lives. We will never stop loving you Rory."
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