Four ‘die in suicide chain including Love Island star and boyfriend’

The fiancee of one of two brothers found hanged within three weeks of each other today paid tribute to her ‘soulmate’ as it emerged he died in a series of suicides involving childhood friends including Love Island star Sophie Gradon.    

Siblings Darryl and Dylan Smith grew up with Sophie and her fiance Aaron Armstrong in Blyth, Northumberland – but the friends all appear to have taken their own lives in the past month.  

Dylan was found dead on Sunday after saying he had lost his ‘best friend, brother and father figure’ – and his partner Steph Wylam, 18, said today he was ‘perfect in every way’. 

She said: ‘Dylan was one of a kind, a jack the lad. He was so caring. He loved nothing more than to just be there for people and help as much he could.

‘When we met Dylan said to me ‘You will be mine’. A week later we started meeting up and seeing each other and from then on we were never apart.

‘He was my world, my soul mate. I did anything and everything for him. He is just an amazing bubbly lad he is amazing in every way’.  

Dylan was found dead on Sunday after saying he had lost his 'best friend, brother and father figure' - and his partner Steph Wylam, 18, (pictured together) said today he was 'perfect in every way'

Dylan was found dead on Sunday after saying he had lost his ‘best friend, brother and father figure’ – and his partner Steph Wylam, 18, (pictured together) said today he was ‘perfect in every way’

Barber Darryl Smith (left), who died aged 27, was buried less than three weeks ago. His brother Dylan (right) died at the weekend.

Dylan (pictured at Darryl’s funeral, left) described his brother as his ‘best friend, brother and father figure’. Barber Darryl , who died aged 27, was buried less than three weeks ago. Right image: Darryl, left, and Dylan, right.

Sophie's death, thought to be a suicide, garnered hundred of tributes before she was laid to rest in her native Newcastle. Pictured: Aaron and Sophie together 

Sophie’s death, thought to be a suicide, garnered hundred of tributes before she was laid to rest in her native Newcastle. Pictured: Aaron and Sophie together 

Aaron posted a heartfelt message to his tragic girlfriend Sophie (seen on Love Island) on Instagram before he died

Aaron posted a heartfelt message to his tragic girlfriend Sophie on Instagram before he died

Right: Aaron posted a heartfelt message to his tragic girlfriend Sophie (seen left on Love Island) on Instagram before he died

The friends all grew up in and around the seaside town on Blyth, Northumberland, and appear to have taken their lives within a month of each other

The friends all grew up in and around the seaside town on Blyth, Northumberland, and appear to have taken their lives within a month of each other

Darryl and Dylan’s father Billy revealed the link between his sons’ deaths and Sophie Gradon and her partner Aaron Armstrong to MailOnline to highlight what he calls an ‘epidemic’ of young people secretly battling mental health problems and said: ‘Things need to change’.

Barber Darryl Smith, 27, was the first of the four friends to be found dead at his home in Blyth on June 13.

Nine days later reality star and former Miss Great Britain Sophie Gradon, 32, was found dead at her parents’ home near Newcastle on June 22, having had a secret battle with depression.

Dylan (pictured at Darryl's funeral) described his brother as his 'best friend, brother and father figure'

Dylan (pictured at Darryl’s funeral) described his brother as his ‘best friend, brother and father figure’

Three weeks later on July 10, Sophie’s distraught fiance Aaron Armstrong, 25, who had been planning the wedding with Sophie and had attended Darryl’s funeral, was found dead at his home in Blyth shortly after writing ‘I will see u very soon my angel’ on social media.

Finally, on Sunday, Dylan Smith, Darryl’s younger brother, was found dead aged 22, days after telling mourners his brother was his ‘best friend, brother and father figure’.

All four friends all grew up together in Blyth and were close friends – and police have said that none of their deaths are being treated as suspicious.

The small community of Blyth has been devastated by the series of deaths. 

Speaking at his home in the town, Darryl and Dylan’s father Billy Smith said: ‘They were all friends, they had grown up together.

‘They’d known each other all of their lives. It’s simply tragic they have all died within such a short space of time.

‘These deaths highlight the fact there is a mental health epidemic among young people.  There needs to be more help out there. The problem is it’s not spoken about.

‘It’s a cultural thing, especially among young men, they do not open up. Things need to change. Schools should teach about mental health more, and young people should be encouraged to open up.

‘I would not wish what we are going through right now on anyone.’ I just thought, not again.

‘It’s difficult to explain how I feel. At the moment I feel numb. It is absolutely gutting’.

Paying tribute to his two sons he said: ‘They were both lovely lads, friendly and well respected in the area. Darryl was engaged and had a four-year-old daughter, Keevah.

‘They were outgoing, very similar to each other, but they both suffered from depression.

‘They had gone to the doctor, we thought they were both coping, although they didn’t really talk about it.

‘They were really close as brothers. Dylan was devastated but he really tried to make his brother proud. He seemed to grow up after his death. We had no idea.

Friends, family and boyfriend Aaron gathered to say goodbye to 'beautiful Sophie' at her funeral.

Posting on social media in the run-up to his death, Aaron made reference to seeing Sophie again, writing: ‘I will never stop loving u and my heart will be yours until the day I join you I will see u very soon my angel so keep are bed warm for me’

'Numb': Grief-stricken Billy Smith (second right) told of his pain after his sons Dylan, left, and Darryl, second left, were found hanged within three weeks of each other. Pictured right: Mr Smith's other son Liam.

‘Numb’: Grief-stricken Billy Smith (second right) told of his pain after his sons Dylan, left, and Darryl, second left, were found hanged within three weeks of each other. Pictured right: Mr Smith’s other son Liam.

‘If something had been put in place sooner, after Darryl, then maybe Dylan could have got help, but no-one knew what was going to happen.

‘It could have made a real difference.

‘In the eighties and nineties in Blyth there was a problem with drugs, and it as as though nothing was done about it. I feel as though there is a similar situation in the town today, with mental health.

‘People should ask for help and there should be help available. It is scary how often this is happening,’ he added.    

‘They’d known each other all of their lives. It’s simply tragic they have all died within such a short space of time.

‘These deaths highlight the fact there is a mental health epidemic among young people.

‘They were both lovely lads, friendly and well respected in the area.’

Yesterday Mr Smith’s heartache was compounded when he received the news that youngest son Dylan had also been found hanged.

He added: ‘I just thought, not again. It’s difficult to explain how I feel. At the moment I feel numb. It is absolutely gutting.’  

Sophie Gradon pictured with her boyfriend Aaron Armstrong. Devastated friends paid tribute to the pair after both are believed to have taken their own lives within weeks of each other.

Sophie Gradon pictured with her boyfriend Aaron Armstrong. Devastated friends paid tribute to the pair after both are believed to have taken their own lives within weeks of each other.

Aaron, 25, was discovered dead at his family home, three weeks later after attending the funeral of Darryl, who was engaged and had a four-year-old daughter, Keevah. He was also reeling from finding Sophie’s body at her parents’ home on June 22. 

In the days before his own death, boxer Aaron made reference to seeing Sophie again on a post on social media, writing: ‘I will never stop loving u and my heart will be yours until the day I join you I will see u very soon my angel so keep are bed warm for me’.

Former Miss GB Sophie won a legion of fans on the second season of Love Island in 2016 when she found love with Thomas Powell, with whom she famously had sex in a wardrobe.

Police are not treating the deaths of Sophie and Aaron as suspicious.

After the death of Darryl, who ran a barbers in Blyth, more than £9,000 was raised towards his funeral, with a horse-drawn carriage carrying his coffin through the streets of Blyth

As we told yesterday, his family were left ‘absolutely broken’ when Dylan died at the weekend. 

And now the brothers’ father is calling for more help to be available for young people struggling with mental health problems.

Darryl with his surviving brother Liam at school together. The brothers were close friends with Sophie and Aaron.

Darryl with his surviving brother Liam at school together. The brothers were close friends with Sophie and Aaron.

The family of the two brothers have been left devastated by their death. Pictured: Darryl (top right) Liam (bottom left) Jaime Lee (left) and Dylan

Darryl with his mother Mandy.

The family of the two brothers have been left devastated by their death. Pictured: Darryl (top right) Liam (bottom left) Jaime Lee (left) and Dylan. Right: Darryl with his mother Mandy.

Billy was working away from home in Preston, Lancashire, when he received a phonecall from a relative to say that Darryl, had been found dead.

‘They were both lovely lads, friendly and well respected in the area’, he said.

After Dylan’s death, an outpouring of tributes flooded social media. 

One, from his brother Liam, read: ‘Words cannot describe how I feel to lose you as well. Give Darryl a hug from me.’

• For confidential support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local branch. See www.samaritans.org for details.   

• For confidential support in Australia call Lifeline for 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au . Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 

• In the US, if you or anyone you know needs to talk, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)                                        



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