'Gentle giant' dad took his own life two months after losing mum to coronavirus

Glen Southern, 46, was not able to say goodbye to his mum Brenda, 71, when she died from the virus at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in April due to strict Government social distancing rules.

The utilities businessman was also struggling financially as none of the companies he worked for were taking in new customers during the lockdown.

His heartbroken wife Samantha, 41, said: “Glen was a gentle giant. He was a good man, very kind, very caring. Nobody saw it coming. He was the one everyone went to with their problems.

“He acted like he was all together, but he wasn’t. He couldn’t go and see his mum in the hospital. He was broken after that. He couldn’t say goodbye.”

Dad-of-six Glen was last seen leaving his family home on Blackpool Road in Lytham on June 19.

The following morning his family became worried and two of his adult children went to his office where his body was found. A postmortem found the cause of death was hanging.

Samantha said: “Everything about that day was odd. We tried to ring him and his phone was turned off, which never happened. His daughter went to get him and he had double locked the door and the blinds were down. My eldest son went along with another set of keys and he ended up having to smash a window. They broke in and then they found him.

“It has destroyed us. I always say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but it’s so hard. There’s so much out there about suicide awareness, but it’s very difficult to help somebody if you don’t know they need help.

“He was a proud man. He wouldn’t have wanted to be seen as struggling, which is very sad because we’re a big family and we’ve always had each others’ back.”

Glen also leaves behind a sister who he last saw at his mum’s funeral at Lytham crematorium in April.

“There was just six of us and we had to sit separately. His sister was sat all alone. That’s the sad thing about Covid-19,” Samantha said.

“His sister said she wished she had hugged him that day because it was the last time she saw him. But she couldn’t because of social distancing.”

She added: “I just can never understand where his head was at to make him want to take his own life. It’s just so tragic. We’re a strong family, but I think lockdown was a lot. We had seven of us in one house; we were trying to do online lessons for the kids. It was hard.

“I think the hardest part is trying to understand why, but I don’t think I’ll ever know.”

Glen’s funeral took place at Lytham crematorium on July 10 and was attended by friends and family.

Opening the investigation into his death last week, coroner Alan Wilson said: “On the morning of Saturday, June 20, a concern was raised for Glen’s welfare and in due course he was reported to have been found deceased.

“I want to formally open the inquest into the death of Glen Southern and we will hold that inquest on October 7. I will review the evidence in due course.”