Partner of tragic Sunderland dad Travis Brash calls for more mental heath support for young adults

Travis Brash was found by police at his flat in Thorney Close on January 6.

His cause of death is still unknown, but loved ones say he had previous history of suicide attempts and had sent messages to girlfriend Leonie Cook and a friend, suggesting he intended to take his own life

Leonie, 18, and Travis had been together for or three-and-a-half years and shared a son, two-year-old Kyran.

Although Travis had previously expressed the wish to self-harm, Leonie said he had also suffered from kidney problems and the family was awaiting the result of tests to determine how he died: "He told us that is what he was going to do, but we don’t know if that is what happened or if his kidney problems have become too much.”

Praise for police

Leonie divided her time between Travis’ flat and her mum’s Pennywell home and had last heard from him the previous day.

"He messaged me and told me to tell Kyran he loved him and to give him a hug and he texted his best friend asking him to look after Kyran and always be there for him,” she said.

Travis’ mother and brother had gone to the flat to check on him and received no answer, but that was not particularly unusual: “If he did not want people around, he would just not answer the door,” she said.

"It was the next day the alarm bells rang because he had not been in touch.”

When his mum and brother were still unable to get an answer or gain entry to the flat, they contacted the police. Leonie praised the officers who had helped the family : “They were probably the best police in the world, they were absolutely lovely,” she said.

Travis had struggled with his mental health for years.

“He had been treated since before we got together and had attempted to take his own life quite a few times,” said Leonie.

"Sometimes a daft thing would set him off and he would be down for days. I don’t think you really know what is going on in someone’s head until you have been through it yourself.

‘Daddy, I love you’

"He had been seeing a counsellor through the Children and Young People’s Service since he was about 14 but when he got to 18, he had to go out and find his own help.

“Travis had autism and didn’t like change. He had been comfortable with the counsellor that he had. I think the support should carry on until people have got somewhere else to go.”

Leonie is trying to be strong for her son’s sake: “He came out of nursery one day and thought he had seen his dad. My sister had picked him up and she said Daddy was up in the sky. Now he keeps pointing at the sky and saying’ Daddy, I love you’.

“He does not like me crying in front of him, so I try to be alright during the day. It is the nighttime when it gets to me.”

Leonie has set up a GoFundMe fundraising page to help with the costs of a funeral service.