Easter Ross community rallies following death of Alness man amid family appeal for people struggling with depression to seek help
A GRIEVING daughter who lost her loving stepdad down “a dark, destructive path” after a double family tragedy is urging others battling depression to seek urgent help.
Trevor Macphee (45) was found dead at a friend’s house in Alness last week.
Police are treating the death as “unexplained, but not suspicious”, but it is believed to be drug-related.
Heartbroken stepdaughter Emma Kennedy (29), raised by Mr Macphee from the age of three, is convinced toxicology reports will point to an accidental overdose.
But while she knows some will write off her stepdad as an addict undeserving of sympathy, she remembers a caring, carefree and dedicated family man, who hit a downward spiral after losing his “soulmate” – her mum, Lesley Inglis – to cancer nine years ago.
Friends and well-wishers have rallied behind the stricken family to help meet funeral costs.
Mrs Kennedy says her stepdad’s mental health difficulties worsened when her 36-year-old mum’s passing in 2011 was followed, just seven months later, by the death of her brother Nick – Mr Macphee’s stepson – at the age of 18.
Mr Macphee is survived by two other sons of his own, Mrs Kennedy’s half-brothers Connor (24) and Declan (22).
A friend of the family, of Kirkside, Alness, is crowdfunding to help the young siblings meet Mr Macphee’s funeral costs.
“The only good thing to come of this is that he’ll be happy now, back together with my mum and my brother.”
The family is also hoping to raise a collection at the funeral on Tuesday for Mikeysline, the local mental health and suicide prevention charity.
Mum-of-two Mrs Kennedy, who lives in Invergordon with husband Scott and daughters Ellie (12) and Layla (6), said: “Trevor wasn’t my biological dad, but you would never have known. My real dad, Nicky Bowes, passed away when I was just little, but from the age of three Trevor brought me up like I was his own.
“I never once questioned his love for us. He wasn’t a bad guy, despite the route his life took. Growing up, we never went without anything. He was a fantastic dad, and he used to work hard for us in the fish factory and then as an abattoir butcher.
“He was fun – a bubbly, chilled guy, always up for a bit of mischief and a laugh. He went down quite a dark path after my mum died, and didn’t work again. He kind of lost himself.
“She was his soulmate and he couldn’t deal with it, and then he lost his son as well. It put him all wrong, and he ended up going down a bad route. He began to suffer depression, but never really sought any help.
“I’d just ask anyone suffering like my step-dad did, please – ask for help. My dad didn’t, and nine years has brought us to this.
“The only good thing to come of this is that he’ll be happy now, back together with my mum and my brother.”
Ms Inglis died after a secondary spread of cervical cancer. Staff at The Place youth group in Alness worked to support her bereaved children in the aftermath.
The group’s Janette Douglas said: “We are heartbroken for the family. We know Trevor was a brilliant dad and grandad. We’ve worked with and supported the family since losing their mum and we’re there for them if they need us.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We received a report relating to the sudden death of a 45-year-old man at a property on Firhill in Alness around 1pm on Wednesday, December 9. The death is being treated as unexplained, but not suspicious. A report has been submitted to the procurator fiscal.”
The crowdfunding page is at https://gf.me/u/zb9vk5
