Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk has paid tribute to a skating mad teenager from Ealing, who took his own life after alleged bullying, by sending a touching video to his grieving family.
Damien Brown's mother described her 14-year-old son this week as 'energetic and enthusiastic' after the keen skater and BMX rider from Gurnell Grove, Ealing, ended his life on February 29.
Mum Lindsey Brown believes Damien, who suffered from ADHD, ADD, ODD and suspected Aspergers Syndrome, took the extreme action because he was being bullied at school.
The death even prompted Tony Hawk, one of the biggest names in skateboarding, to send a personally-recorded video message to Damien's family.
In the video, in which he appears alongside other skaters, he says: "We just want to say goodbye to Damien, we know you’re remembering him today and we know you’re honouring him, we want to do the same."
He adds: "If any of you are struggling, reach out for help. Always reach out for help, there's always help.
"Going to miss you Damien."
Bullying issues
As well as at school, bullying was also said to have taken place at his beloved Ealing Skate Park Association, based in Ruislip Road East, since 2014, where on one occasion bullies allegedly unbolted his bike and threw parts of it around the park.
But Damien also made close friends at the park before his death and was said to have been immensely popular among his friends there.
His pals even arranged a Skate Park Jam on March 6 in his honour and produced an emotional video thanking him for his friendship and support.
Ms Brown, who has lived in Ealing for two years, told getwestlondon : "He was energetic and enthusiastic. He would help anyone when he was able to and he would talk to anyone.
"He would be one of the first people to say 'are you okay?'
"He was on-and-off bullied for a year (at school) and we knew of it and we were sorting it out, but it kept escalating."
Damien lived with his mum, sister, brother, step dad and two step sisters, all of whom he was close to.
'If you're being bullied, speak up'
Ms Brown added: "It's very hard, we (the family) are having problems. I withdraw from a lot of people and I do not go out very often.
"It has had a lot of impact on everyone, everyone seems really lost without him, and everyone still can't believe it.
"If anyone is being bullied they need to tell someone straight away, if it is a teacher or anyone at school or at home they need to tell someone.
"They (bullies) have got to start thinking about how would they feel about what they are doing (if it was them being bullied), and think about other people's feelings."
