Mark Speight's dad: 'He was deeply scarred'

Mark Speight's dad: 'He was deeply scarred' (Image credit: PA Wire/PA Photos)

The father of TV presenter Mark Speight has spoken about how 'deeply scarred' his son was before he took his own life in April. Mark hanged himself weeks after his fiancee, Natasha Collins, died of a drugs overdose at their home in London. He had been unable to come to terms with the loss according to his father Oliver. "Mark was in an abyss,” he told the Daily Mirror. “Nothing you said seemed to reach him. He was deeply scarred. He couldn't get over the remorse at whether he could have done more for Natasha." Oliver also spoke of the moment he learned of Mark's death from two policemen who called at his door: "I knew why they were there. My stomach imploded. Then a terrific numbness took over." Since his son’s death, Oliver has set up the SP8 Of The Art foundation to encourage children to pursue their artistic skills. "If we can help just one child get their life on track by using art then it will have been a success," he said.

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