Thomas Swales took his own life after contracting Friedreich’s Ataxia
A ‘unique’ teenager took his own life after contracting a rare incurable illness that he feared he would be wheelchair-bound for life, an inquest heard.
Thomas Swales, 19, developed Friedreich’s Ataxia which initially caused him to walk with a stoop, but he bravely battled through by wearing a backpack to disguise his condition.
However as his conditioned worsened Thomas – known as Tommy – began getting depressed and penned a confidential note to his mother admitting he was considering killing himself, and his family believe he looked into the Swiss assisted suicide clinic Dignitas.
Although he appeared to get better, Mr Swales hanged himself at his home in Edgeley, near Stockport, Greater Manchester, on January 29 last year while his family were walking in a local park.
The youngster – described as the ‘King of Banter’ – had been diagnosed with the condition in 2013 when he was just 15 and he also developed the spine condition Scoliosis.
His illness left him unsteady on his feet and would lose his balance or fall over without warning, but he wore the backpack to make it appear as though it was causing him to stoop.
His mother Michelle Swales, 55, told the Stockport hearing: ‘Tommy was unique and very affectionate.
‘When he was diagnosed by the doctors, at first he didn’t quite understand what it was and then all of a sudden he looked at me, held his arms out and sat on my knee.
‘But when we got home he went to his room and after an hour he informed us he was going back to school that day – and that’s what he did. He was determined to try and make the best of it as long as it was not mentioned. He chose to deal with the ‘here and now’.
‘The main problem in the early months was his walking and his mobility. He was very unsteady on his feet and would fall or stumble without warning.
‘He also had a stoop and in 2015 he was in surgery for 13 hours the surgeon said it was the second worst case he had come across.
‘He was warned what was involved and the recovery but he was determined to go ahead with it. He was a little star.
‘The only real purpose was to improve his appearance and psychologically and that did make a massive difference. It gave him confidence to go out with his friends.
‘He would try and disguise his stoop with a backpack prior to the operation.. His spine with it being pinned would not become curved but the curve of his shoulders started to become more pronounced.’
She said by 2016 Tommy appeared well but she added: ‘He was worried about ending up in a wheelchair. He said he didn’t want to do it, he wouldn’t.
‘To cheer him up Tommy went to New York a couple of times and his final thing was a special hotel in Florida – the animal kingdom.
‘He wanted to do as much as he could under his own steam. We knew we had to cram a lot in and we were fortunate he did. He had achieved what he would have liked to have done. He became a bit more isolated towards Christmas time.
‘I think it was both that he was finding things difficult physically and becoming depressed. In 2017 Tommy produced a note to me, he wanted me to come up with a way to end his life but not to mention it to anyone else.
‘It was a predicament for me but for Tommy to open up to me like that – he just trusted me to say nothing to anybody else.
A verdict of suicide was recorded against Mr Swales’ death after the hearing at Stockport Coroner’s Court (pictured)
‘I told other people strictly in confidence to see what could be done. I did have the crisis number but I didn’t want to do anything that would make Tommy less likely to engage with health professionals.
‘He was aware I was on to him and I think he was hoping perhaps I would have helped him in some way. I think he was looking at Dignitas.’
She said confided in GP’s and kept a close eye on Tommy but thought his mood lightened when he went cinema trips with friends and asked her to accompany him on trips to Starbucks.
Police found various suicide notes written by Tommy and discovered he had bought a rope off the internet in the days before his death.
He also expressed thoughts of taking his own life in texts and on social media.
Recording a conclusion of suicide, coroner Chris Morris, said: ‘My final word has to go to family and friends of Tommy to pass on my personal condolences.’
After the case Mrs Swales added: ‘Anyone suffering from depression shouldn’t be afraid of telling someone, it’s half the battle acknowledging you need help, in Tommy’s case it was different, he knew he didn’t want to be in a wheelchair, couldn’t stop it, so took control whilst still able to do so.
‘Tommy, we are incredibly lucky to have had 19 wonderful years crammed full of happy memories, filled with lots of love and laughter.
‘Tommy tackled life with a quiet dignity and amazing strength and courage. We take comfort from all of this, alongside the knowledge that Tommy is where he wanted to be, we are incredibly proud of him and always will be.’
- For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.