A mother mourning the loss of her teenage son has shared what his death has taught her about existence, and the ways she honours his legacy. Nathan Slater, from Wallasey, was just 18 when he took his own life on Saturday, November 9, 2024.
His mother, Lisa Slater, 41, said she was completely unaware he was battling with his mental health and that Nathan’s passing arrived as a “total shock.”
Only months before, Nathan had confided his aspirations for the years ahead and his desire to have a family someday. Lisa, who has seven children, is now appealing to anyone who may be experiencing mental health difficulties to reach out.
On his final day, Nathan rang a friend at 1am expressing he was “sorry, you’re a good friend”. His concerned companion made the journey to his home the following day to see if he was okay but received no answer when he knocked on the door.
The family had to break his bedroom door down to find that, sadly, Nathan had taken his own life , reports the Liverpool Echo.
View 4 ImagesSmiley Nathan when he was a young child(Image: Lisa Slater)
Lisa previously spoke to the ECHO, where she paid tribute to her “funny, kind and caring” son. As she nears the anniversary of one of their most cherished moments together, she remarked: “He was an amazing, popular, funny boy. He was so talented, he taught himself to play the guitar. He asked for a guitar for Christmas one year and he just picked it up and taught himself to play it. He could play any song.
“I took him to his first Creamfields [in 2024], he was in awe of the DJs. When we got home he got himself a set of decks and had been making his own mixes, he was forever calling me at stupid hours to say ‘mum listen to my new mix.'”.
“We had the best time and we were really looking forward to going together again. I just can’t believe he’s gone, he’s going to leave a massive hole in everyone’s lives.
“He always had the biggest smile on his face all the time, he had just started boxing training and he was planning on doing a charity boxing match in memory of his dad, who passed away from cancer. He wanted to do that for his dad.”
View 4 ImagesNathan was planning on taking part in a charity boxing match in memory of his dad, he had started training and made plans for the future(Image: Lisa Slater)
She continued: “None of us saw this coming. We had no clue at all that he had been suffering with his mental health. It was a total shock for us all. It’s just unbelievable. He was making so many plans”.
Following her son’s passing, Lisa has endeavoured to maintain normality for her six other children. She explained: “Tthe only plus is that Nathan’s death brought us all closer together.
“We’ve realised how short life is and make the most of holidays, concerts and doing things together. We try to make the most of our time. I’ve surprised myself at how strong I’ve been, but it’s been hard keeping it together. I have moments when everything goes quiet, after a long day at work, where it’ll catch up with me.
“For the first few months I didn’t know how I was going to get through the day, never mind a week, or a month, then the days turned into years.”
View 4 ImagesNathan Slater with his mum Lisa at Creamfieldsin 2024(Image: Lisa Slater)
To pay tribute to her son, Lisa made the journey to Amsterdam last year to mark his birthday — a trip the two had always planned to take together. She also attended Creamfields in his honour, a festival that holds some of Lisa’s most cherished memories with Nathan.
With the 2026 festival drawing ever closer, Lisa is speaking out about Nathan’s story to spark vital conversations around men’s mental health. The devastated mother has passionately appealed to anyone who may be struggling to break their silence.
She said: “Men just don’t talk enough. I want to urge people to talk if they are feeling any certain way. I can’t stress enough if anyone is having these thoughts to please talk to somebody.”
Lisa is additionally calling for greater mental health provision in Wallasey for those in need. She added: “Grief is life-changing, I hope by sharing Nathan’s story we can help even just one family.”
When life is difficult, Samaritans are available day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.
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