A grieving mother has paid tribute to her popular son, describing him as ‘family-orientated’ and someone whose ‘smile would light up a room’, after an inquest into his death.

Harry Gillings, 24, died suddenly in October last year after battling mental health issues.

Harry was a hugely popular character who worked in farming and the leisure industry before becoming an administrator. He was a devoted fan of Ramsey football club and loved horse riding.

An inquest was held last week during which Coroner James Brooks concluded Harry died as a result of ‘suicide’.

The court heard how a large search was carried out on October 24 last year in the Sky Hill area of Lezayre after Harry went missing the evening before.

His body was found later that afternoon.

Afterwards, his mum Karen Gillings spoke about the family’s struggle to come to terms with the loss of her son.

Harry was close to his family and lived with mum Karen and dad Richard at the Curraghs in Ballaugh.

He also had two sisters, Katie and Lauren, who are both several years older, and Karen joked he effectively had ‘three mothers’. Harry also doted on his nieces Tegan and Ivy-Rae and nephew Reign.

‘He loved having family days and he was so family-orientated,’ Karen said. ‘He often looked after Ivy-Rae and Reign.

‘He also loved going out with friends and would often be the last one at the party.

‘He enjoyed cooking as well. Once, when I was having a job interview, he baked me a good luck cake when he was 12 years old.

‘When he walked into a room his smile would light it up. He loved helping people and he looked after his friends.’

Harry was born in West Yorkshire and when he and his family moved to the island in 2015 he thrived. He attended Ramsey Grammar School and quickly made friends.

Karen said: ‘Harry knew everybody. He was very sociable. He told us we were the best parents for bringing him to the island.’

Harry was a big supporter of Ramsey AFC and was a well-known figure at their games. He was also involved in the Manx Grasslands Society and the Manx National Farmers’ Union.

‘Harry was well-known and well-loved by so many people,’ Karen said. ‘We had that confirmed at his funeral which was packed.

‘Harry was very independent from a young age and always had ideas.

‘At one point he decided he wanted to be a jockey and went to stables across, but he soon realised it wasn’t what he wanted to do. But that was Harry and he went full pelt with his ideas.’

Karen admits it has been very difficult trying to adapt to life without her son.

‘I miss everything about Harry,’ she admitted. ‘I always had to go in and wake him up.

‘There would be clothes all over the bedroom floor and things all over the kitchen. I miss all that. I come downstairs now and everything is still tidy. His dog Tess misses him. She sleeps under his bed and still waits at the window for him.

‘He used to sing a lot around the house. He had a good voice and would do karaoke at Bar Logo.’

Harry had been due to study agriculture at Harper Adams University in Shropshire but when the Covid pandemic hit he decided against going.

In 2020/21 he developed mental health issues and spent time at Manannan Court. Harry could not identify an obvious cause for his poor mental health other than saying he ‘struggled with low mood’.

However, he appeared to have moved on. He worked at Ballakelly Farm in Andreas before moving to Ballafayle Farm in Maughold.

He then went to Danny and Paula Creer’s Ballaglonney Farm in Marown where he looked after his own flock of sheep.

He also worked at Bar Logo and Star Grill in Ramsey before, in early 2025, joining IQ-EQ as an administrator where he thrived in his new role.

Karen said it was around Christmas 2024 that his mental health appeared to decline once more.

The inquest heard that, in February 2025, he took a number of pills and travelled to Sky Hill but crashed his vehicle and was arrested. He later spent a few weeks in Manannan Court voluntarily.

‘The first time he was in Manannan Court he just wanted to get out as soon as possible,’ Karen said afterwards.

‘But on the second occasion he was a bit older and joined in the therapy sessions. He seemed to come out much better and got involved in the support networks.’

During subsequent interviews with medical professionals, Harry told them he was happy with his medication and no longer had thoughts of suicide or self-harm.

In May, during a review, he said he was ‘ready for a change and a new start’. However, he had told one doctor he was ‘still having one or two bad days a week’.

By October 2025, Harry’s mental health problems surfaced once more.

A statement from one of Harry’s close friends was read out at the inquest, saying that during a trip to Portugal that month Harry told him he was ‘struggling’.

Later that month Harry went missing. Family and friends became concerned when no one had heard from him on October 23.

Knowing Harry had gone to Sky Hill before, his friend went there the next day and found his car but no sign of Harry. He called 999.

Other witness statements were read out from those who had seen Harry’s car at Sky Hill on October 23. One woman said she saw him sitting in his car early that evening and that he smiled at her.

Police launched a large search of the area on October 24 involving the Civil Defence search and rescue team. One member of the team later found Harry, who had already died.

Mental health among young men and teenagers has been in the spotlight in recent years, with campaigns encouraging them to open up and not suffer in silence.

Karen hopes Harry’s story will encourage others to come forward, although she accepts that sometimes little can be done because of the complexity of some mental health conditions.

‘It seemed Harry had turned a corner but he did not show his true emotions a lot to us,’ Karen said. ‘I think he did not want to share them and increase our anxieties. He was trying to protect us.

‘I feel as a mother I should have seen it, but people with mental health issues are very good at hiding them. To realise he was in so much pain is difficult to process.

‘Men’s mental health is a very difficult subject. In some cases it can be very difficult to prevent.

‘I believe that once someone has made the decision to attempt to take their own life they will always be at risk, even if they say they have no suicidal thoughts.

‘Mental health issues are not like breaking your leg, putting it in a cast and letting it heal.

‘People should receive support much earlier, perhaps at school. There are a lack of resources which seems to be the case with everything these days.’

At the conclusion of the inquest, Coroner Brooks said he was satisfied that Harry had taken his own life and that he intended to do so, and he delivered a verdict of suicide.

He told the family: ‘I express my sincere condolences on your loss. I heard he was a great character and bubbly and involved in a close friendship group. I hope that is how you remember him.’

If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this news story, details of local organisations that provide advice and support can be found at www.gov.im/wellbeingsupport.