A devastated mum has paid tribute to her "cheeky and adventurous" son after his body was found in woodland.
Ben Meah, of Spark Lane, Runcorn, was found dead in a wooded area near where he grew up in Norton, Runcorn, at 10am on Friday after he was reported missing hours earlier.
Mum Cindy Meah, 51, told the ECHO Ben had experienced mental health issues in recent times, having suffered increasing levels of fatigue after falling ill and missing much of his last year of high school, resulting in less contact with his friends and later compounded in recent years by lockdown.
When younger she said Ben, who grew up in Norton attending St Berteline’s Primary School and later what is now Sandymoor Ormiston Academy - had been a “very active” child, who was “adventurous” with a “cheeky” sense of humour.
She said he loved playing football, including for Heath Rangers Barca and Runcorn Linnets, as well as climbing. Cindy, who described the sense of grief following the loss of Ben as feeling like “drowning”, said Ben’s former vitality suffered a major setback when aged 15 he contracted a “strep” infection and rheumatic fever, leading to reduced attendance at school and problems with two heart valves.
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She said his difficulties appeared to have “spiralled from there”.
Fatigue meant he attended Mondays and Fridays to take part in his vocational studies with only Wednesday for academic classes because “he was so tired”, and too tired to attend on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Cindy said it was her own sharp-eyed osteopath who initially correctly diagnosed Ben’s symptoms, before they were later confirmed following testing.
He also had the blood vessel condition Henoch-Schönlein purpura when a baby.
Ben’s mum said Ben had contracted chicken pox four times due to a weakened immune system, and was supposed to take a prescribed antibiotic but had stopped taking it when he turned 18.
She also raised concern that Ben had tried to take his own life two weeks ago by taking an overdose but claims she hadn’t received any follow-up call since leaving hospital.
Cindy added she was worried about a culture among men of not opening up about their problems as she urged anyone in a similar situation to “please get help”, adding Ben’s girlfriend had also tried to persuade him to speak to a doctor.
Remembering Ben during happier times when he was growing up, she said: “He was a happy child, dead adventurous, he loved climbing trees, and went on PGL holidays, he loved doing the abseiling, even fencing - he was so active.”
Cindy said a teacher at Sandymoor had “taken him under his wing” and looked out for Ben, finding him a place on a course earning his FA badges..
Her son had also started a new job with NHS Supply Chain in Widnes.
Emphasising the importance of people in crisis speaking out, including to friends, family or professionals, adding there was a particular problem among young men who “need to talk to each other”, she said: “I want them to reach out and get help.
“There are people out there who are willing to help them and support them.
“You just need to ask.”
Cindy added: “Ben’s story isn’t a new story, it’s an old story that keeps getting told over and over again and nothing changes.
“People have to keep talking.”
Calling for a more “pro-active” approach for mental health interventions, Cindy said that following the overdose two weeks ago, Ben had spoken to an advisor for three hours in hospital but it wasn’t followed up after he returned home.
Cindy said: “If he was under 18, that would have been followed up.
“Just because he’s 20, why haven’t they followed it up?
“I don’t know why.”
She added: “I said ‘you need to ring the GP’, and the hospital said he could get antidepressants.
“If someone had rung him from a mental health team, maybe he would have got involved in that.”
Ben’s funeral is at 2pm on Friday, April 21, at Walton Lea, near Warrington.
Flowers only from close family, but all donations gratefully made to Papyrus, a charity based in Warrington dedicated to the cause of preventing young people from taking their own life.
Cindy, who previously worked in funeralcare, said her friend Louise Evison has been helping to organise the funeral by speaking to Runcorn-based funeral directors S Rigby Funeralcare, who have been “amazing”.
Louise has also set up a gofundme appeal to help her to fund the funeral, which Cindy acknowledged was “so nice”.
In her gofundme appeal, Louise said: “This morning my best friend Cindy received news that no parent should ever have to hear.
“Her beautiful son Ben tragically took his own life at 20 years of age.
“Ben had just started a new job and was trying hard to get past some mental health issues that he had recently been suffering with.
“He was a beloved son, brother and uncle.
“He will be missed beyond belief but never ever forgotten.
“Rest easy beautiful boy.”
Donate to the appeal here.
A range of support is available for anyone experiencing crisis, including Samaritans on 116 123..
Halton Borough Council also offers a online directory of services for a variety of issues, tailored to individual circumstances.
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