It is just over 18 months since 21-year-old high achiever Exeter University student Harry Armstrong Evans ended his life and not a day goes by when his family aren't haunted by his sudden death. The third-year physics and astrophysics student was found passed away by his family at his home in Launceston, Cornwall, on June 24, 2021, after his mental health and exam grades plummeted during lockdown.

An inquest into his death concluded not enough was done by Exeter University to support him before his death, despite serious concerns being raised by his parents about his mental health to the university's wellbeing team. Assistant Cornwall coroner Guy Davies said it failed to provide him with the 'necessary support'.

Despite all that Harry's parents Alice and Rupert have been through and are still enduring, they are determined to try to prevent future suicides among university students by campaigning for new legislation called Harry's Law. The aim is to force coroners to inform universities when they record a suicide verdict and for universities to annually publish the figures.

Read more:Heartbroken mum says 'Uni could have done more to prevent son's suicide'

The impact suicide has on family, friends and the local community has been bravely shared by Alice who admits Harry's death has left her feeling 'dead inside'. She describes it as a struggle to go on but what keeps her going is her two other children who have also been greatly impacted by the loss of their 'kind and thoughtful' brother.

Speaking out for the launch of DevonLive's Shatter the Silence campaign, Alice said: "To lose a child is a terrible thing but I think that the loss of a child by suicide is the very worst thing that could happen to any parent and to his/ her siblings for they matter so much too. From my point of view, my life is over.

"I adored my son Harry. He was such a kind and thoughtful son, so gentle and easygoing. He was never rough or loud. He never fought or even got angry. He was even-tempered and very clever.

"I believe that he was a just person which is why when he was informed that a retake of exams he had messed up in his third year would be capped at 40 per cent that he could not understand the injustice of it. I feel it was not explained to him how his degree could be saved by however they do their final mark calculations taking into account their various algorithms or whatever. This is where I see the flaw in Exeter University’s care of our son.

Harry Armstrong Evans ended his life during lockdown
Harry Armstrong Evans ended his life during lockdown

"As a mother I now feel dead inside. I go through the motions of being a mother to our 15-year-old daughter, our youngest child. I make her sandwich before school, I get her Christmas and birthday presents.

"I am there for her, but inside I always think of Harry. I can’t bear to think of him alone buried in our local churchyard. I can’t verbalise this to her, nor to my other two older children who are adults in their own right now.

"I am haunted by the picture of Harry as a sweet and innocent little boy and I feel great guilt that I was not there to save him. I had previously saved him on two occasions when he was about three years old.

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"Once he nearly fell into the leat, the channel of water brought from the river to the mill, by the waterwheel. He was hanging over the water by his hands and dangling over the edge.

"Another time he was practically in the same position but indoors dangling next to the staircase. Had I not heard a little cry for help he would have fallen 8ft and done some massive damage.

"But on both occasions, I was there and I saved him. You can imagine how I feel, despite trying to alert Exeter University, that I lost my son as he was so anxious about not getting a good enough degree.

Harry Armstrong Evans with his sisters
Harry Armstrong Evans with his sisters

"How I wish he had never gone to university there. How I wish he had studied another subject. I go over his life over and over again.

"I love him so much that I can’t help but to wish to join him in his cold grave. But I have to be strong, but I am not. I just try to keep on going and maybe there will be a day when I don’t feel bad about losing my much-adored son, but that is unlikely.

"Please let us try to stop suicides. Other parents I have now met/ spoken with are all feeling broken.

"Young people should not be thinking ever of ending their lives because they have yet to learn that even in the darkest hours there will come the sunshine and they will find some place in society even if it is not the one they thought. They will find love and they have the love of their families.

"Harry’s siblings are all shaken by his death. Our neighbours are upset and the entire village was there on the day of his funeral supporting us.

"People who had moved away from the village and were living abroad wrote to us. Harry’s suicide affected so many people. Any young person’s suicide will affect 150 people they say."

Shatter the Silence

Shatter the Silence logo

The DevonLive Shatter the Silence campaign aims to encourage anyone struggling to reach out and talk - to either a friend, relative, charity or a professional. Our campaign content will highlight just how important talking is and the difference it can make.

Ultimately, we want to reduce the number of people who die by suicide in Devon. We will highlight where to get help and show how talking has helped people come through difficult times in their lives. We will speak to families who have lost loved ones to look at the lasting impact of suicide and attempt to dismiss the inaccurate belief many people who are struggling manifest that they are a burden on the ones they love. We will look at the devastation caused to those left behind in the hope that even one reader might change their mind if they have considered taking their own life.

We will speak to people who have survived a suicide attempt and have accessed counselling or other mental health services to show that things can get better. We will speak to Samaritans volunteers about their vital work in Devon and how they are on hand 24-7 to listen. And we will offer guidance on what to say to someone who is struggling so people feel more confident to have that conversation.

Do you have a relevant story to share? Email emma.slee@reachplc.com.

WHERE TO GET HELP:

SAMARITANS offers support in a range of ways, including a self-help app, email support or by calling 116 123 for free 24 hours a day

NHS Offers advice on how to access mental health support

TALKWORKS is a free-to-access NHS service offering a variety of treatment and support for adults (aged 18+) living in Devon (excluding Plymouth)

CALM offer a free, confidential helpline 0800 58 58 58 and webchat, 7 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone who needs to talk about life's problems

HUB OF HOPE is a mental health support database that can signpost you to local support services

ANDY'S MAN CLUB offers men a chance to talk with like-minded people. They have clubs in Devon as well as nationally

KOOTH & QWELL provides free, safe and anonymous online mental wellbeing support, including moderated peer support forums and text-based counselling, to all residents living in Devon (aged 11+)

PETE'S DRAGONS provide free-to-access support to all residents living in Devon who may have been bereaved by suicide at any point in their lives

THE MOORINGS is an emotional support service that provides telephone and face-to-face support via a drop-in service at its bases in Exeter, Barnstaple and Torquay. It is a non-clinical service but provides emotional support, signposting to other services and other general support that is tailored to the people who access it.

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Following Harry's inquest, Exeter University stated it would learn lessons to enhance its support and operations further, specifically in the areas recommended by the coroner. It added it had invested 'significantly' in student welfare and wellbeing support in recent years and has set up a bespoke partnership with local NHS and support services for students with complex mental health needs, depression and anxiety.

Alice and Rupert are continuing to bring in Harry's Law. Under the proposed legislation, those universities whose levels of suicide exceed that of the national average - as defined by the Office of National Statistics - could be investigated by the Department for Education and where necessary, placed into ‘special measures’. Currently, universities are not bound by any duty of care, in the same way, schools or employers might be.

Under one of the requirements of Harry’s Law, higher education institutions would be required to provide a duty of care.

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