Montana Brown called for people to be ‘nicer and kinder’ after Mike Thalassitis’ death was ruled a suicide.
An inquest today at North London Coroner’s Court ruled that the 26-year-old died by hanging, after he was found dead on 15 March in Latimer Park, Enfield.
Traces of cocaine and alcohol were found in his system, with Fluoxetine, an anti-depressant, also found in his system.
And PC Emma Clawson told the court that a black notebook was found near Mike’s body containing diary entries and letters, with notes at the back of the book addressed to his family sharing his intentions to end his life.
Mike’s Love Island castmate and close friend Montana was present at the inquest, alongside the Thalassitis family, and told press that it’s important to keep Mike’s memory alive.
She said: ‘I don’t really have too much to say, but what I will say is I think when someone dies in this way you don’t give up on the memory and I think that a lot of people are scared to talk about it.
‘But I think it’s important to let his memory live on and remember the importance of why this happened, and to change your own life on what terrible, terrible thing has happened to Mike.
‘I think everyone should be nicer, a little bit kinder – it’s such an awful world we live in, it’s just nice to be nice.’
The 23-year-old added: ‘I’ve definitely changed the way I live my life – and I urge others to do the same.’
Mike’s family, including his mother Shirley, dad Andy and brother Nick, remembered the reality star through a statement issued by his manager and agent Dave Read outside the court.
Dave said: ‘We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their kind messages and support during this very difficult time.
‘Today’s inquest concluded the sad news at the loss of our beautiful son and brother.
‘We would respectfully request privacy at this time and digest what has happened to our family.
‘Mike was a wonderful son and brother and will be dearly missed.’
The star was found hanged in Latimer Park in Enfield by a jogger, with a statement from the woman being read out in court.
She said: ‘At around 9.25pm I was jogging around Church Street recreational ground, however I know this to be Latimer Park.
‘A man was walking a dog so I changed my direction running along the tree line. Through the trees I saw a man, I looked again and I thought the man was floating. I looked up and saw the rope and the man was hanging.
‘I didn’t know what to do and I called my friend who said I should call the police. I hung up the call to my friend and called the police to report what I found. I stayed on the phone speaking to the operator until I saw the two police officers enter the park. I briefly spoke to PC Emma Clawson. She told me to go home and she would call me. I did not approach the man or touch him.
‘He was wearing a black jacket, black hat, black shoes.’
Mike’s family agreed to list the reality star and former footballer’s occupation as ‘celebrity’ at the hearing.
After recording Mike’s death as a suicide, Senior Coroner Andrew Walker offered his family his deepest sympathies.
The Thalassitis family confirmed that the Love Island series three star took his own life after struggling with depression, and at his funeral, asked for attendees to donate to the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).
On a JustGiving page, the Thalassitis family wrote: ‘Mike was loved by so many and had such a promising future ahead of him. He had a close and supportive network of friends and family, a much loved public profile, a strong pipeline of promising new business ventures and financial stability enabling him more luxuries than most. Most crucially, he looked impeccably healthy from the outside (some even called him a “Greek God”), and when surrounded by friends and family he was full of banter and sarcasm and always had a cheeky grin plastered across his face. ‘Yet despite all this, and most importantly, deep down beneath the surface he was suffering from poor mental health – a dark depression that he kept very well hidden from even his closest friends and family. So on the 16th March, overwhelmed and exhausted by his private battle with depression, he made the tragic decision to give up the fight by ending his own life.
‘Unfortunately, Mike’s situation is not unique. In the UK, suicide is the single biggest killer of men under 45- resulting in 12 men taking their own lives every single day! These statistics are tragic, incredibly scary and heartbreaking- but most importantly they are unacceptable and need to change! Mike’s decision has turned our world upside down, it is impossible for us to understand or accept a life without Mike and there are no words to even begin to describe the grief, stress, sadness, shock and disbelief that we are all drowning in right now. That’s why we have decided to create a legacy for Mike by doing everything we can to change this heartbreaking epidemic so no family has to ever suffer like we have. But most importantly, we want to make sure that all men know where to get support and no man ever feels that suicide is his only option.’
This inquest comes just two days into the new series of Love Island, which honoured Mike with a special tribute at the end of its first episode on Monday, 3 June.
MORE: Inside Oritse Williams’ charred Croydon mansion after huge fire nearly destroys £3 million property
MORE: Love Island’s Mike Thalassitis died by suicide after consuming cocaine and alcohol
