The brother of a 14-year-old who tragically killed himself in 2010 has spoken out about his brother’s death after reaching his £100,000 fundraising target for a charity set up in his memory.
Aaron Hearne, 28, of Carshalton, set up The Liam Charity in January 2012, 15 months after he found his younger brother hanged in his bedroom.
Last month Mr Hearne reached his £100,000 fundraising target for the charity at a black-tie dinner hosted by Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington, Tom Brake.
RELATED: Brother of Liam Hearne, who killed himself aged 14, reaches £100,000 fundraising target
After reaching the milestone Mr Hearne spoke out on the weeks leading to his brother’s death, emphasising the importance of Childline – the charity he thinks could have made a difference for his brother.
He said: “I had noticed that something was different with Liam in the months leading up to his death. He wasn’t the same. I spoke to him about how he was feeling a couple of times, but he would just say he was fine.
“He had just turned 14 and so I wondered if it was his studies, or puberty was getting him down.
“He came home from school a couple of times with suspicious bruises and he once punched his laptop because of something he’d seen online.
“I was getting increasingly concerned at this point, I remember sitting him down on my bed and asking him to please open up to me, but he wouldn’t tell me what it was about.”
Mr Hearne discovered Liam’s body in his bedroom on October 7, 2010.
RELATED: Tributes pour in after death of Glenthorne student Liam Hearne from Carshalton
He said his younger brother, a pupil at Glenthorne High School, never opened up to his family, but speaking to a trained counsellor may have made a difference.
Mr Hearne added: “Liam hadn’t been able to open up to his family or friends, and I think that Liam wasn’t ashamed to talk to me about anything, but perhaps he was scared to.
“Speaking anonymously to a trained counsellor might have made the difference for him.”
The community fundraising manager began working with the NSPCC to raise money for its Childline service after Liam died.
He said his line of work allows him to stay close to his brother “because he is in everything that I do.”
In the past four years Mr Hearne has run two London marathons, taken part in a triathlon and completed a 125-mile ‘spinathon’ on a static bicycle.
He said: “My message to any young person reading this who might be having serious problems in their life is that despite what you might think, there are people out there who care about you and want to help.
“Things can and do get better, you’ve got so much to give to the world, talk about how you’re feeling and please hold on for another day.
“Childline is there for you and the counsellors on the phones, message boards and responding to emails do care what is happening to you – you are not alone.”
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