29 April 2023 , 17:39
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A young dad has died suddenly after becoming "very paranoid" during the coronavirus pandemic when the lockdown had a negative impact on his mental health.
Junior Collins, who was just 27, passed away on April 19 and his death was described by his partner Danielle Thorpe as "soul-destroying" for the family.
The couple's five-year-old boy Calvin now asks his mum why his dad is not around to help him button up his shirts, the 33-year-old woman told the Manchester Evening News.
She said: "I just feel like Calvin is broken forever now. He's always going to be that kid whose dad died when they were five.
Danielle and Calvin have been left devastated by Junior's death (Danielle Thorpe)
Danielle said her son misses his dad (Danielle Thorpe)"He took [the news] like a champ, but now all the questions are coming slowly. He says he can hear his dad. He keeps saying, 'My dad told me he loves me'.
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"We FaceTimed Junior every morning. This morning, he said he needed to FaceTime his dad because he helps him do his buttons. He asked if he could come back for two hours. He doesn't understand why his dad doesn’t have his phone."
Danielle, who also has a 12-year-old daughter from a previous partner, had been in a relationship with Junior for eight years before he passed away.
The mum described Junior as "beautiful" and "the nicest guy you will ever meet in your life".
"Him as a person was enough," she said. "He was just always the clown of the group and he was Scottish so everyone was always struggling to understand him.
"He did loads of things with my son; they used to play Xbox and go to the park. They were literally the best of friends.
The couple had been together for eight years and Calvin is five years old (Danielle Thorpe)
Danielle said Calvin asks why his dad is not there to button his shirts up (Danielle Thorpe)"He was just such a nice guy – always so gentle and everyone's friend. Everyone loved him.
"I just don't understand why he can't wake up, I know I’m being stupid saying that. It's all I keep thinking – that he's going to wake up."
Danielle says Junior, who is originally from Glasgow but lived in Salford, had struggled with health anxiety for several years but his mental health deteriorated massively during lockdown.
She said her partner was "in a terrible way" last year and and help was sought for him when his struggles with paranoia became so severe that he had to spend time in a mental health unit.
However, she said that once he came out of the unit his condition did not improve.
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Danielle explained: "From lockdown, it got really, really bad. He's always suffered with health anxiety and always thought he was dying. So when [Covid] happened, he was very, very paranoid.
"He completely deteriorated from lockdown. It was definitely from then that he couldn’t cope. He was health-conscious about absolutely everything. He panicked non-stop.
"He was so paranoid about me and Calvin if we ever got a cold or a cough or anything. He was just so paranoid about everything."
Junior's partner said he suffered during the coronavirus lockdown (Danielle Thorpe)At the time of his death, following mental health treatment, Junior was living in shared accommodation in Salford, but remained very close to Danielle.
The cause of death has not been confirmed yet and the coroners' office confirmed the death has been reported to them.
Junior's heartbroken mum, Jo Collins, who lives in Clydebank, Scotland, said her son's death has left the family inconsolable as she added: "You don't think your kids are going to die before you."
She added: "He was such a gentle soul. I just feel like I'm going through all the emotions. I just don't think it will hit me properly until we have his funeral."
Danielle said she has now been left in a "dire financial situation" as she struggles to find the funds to pay for Junior's funeral and give him the "send-off he deserves".
A GoFundMe has been organised by Danielle to raise some money for his funeral.
To donate, you can click here.