EP#208 Mike McCarthy A painful talk about son Ross McCarthy who died by suicide age 31

Mike lost his son to suicide at aged 31 and I had a deep yet painful conversation with him about it.   Mike McCarthy has worked as a journalist in newspapers, radio and television for almost 40 years as a producer, reporter and presenter. His assignments have included the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, terrorist attacks on the Boston marathon, the Canadian parliament in Ottawa and the Manchester Arena in the UK. His range of stories stretches from politics in Washington DC to rioting in Athens, demonstrations in Gaza, floods in the UK and sporting triumphs across Europe.   Mike has interviewed almost all UK prime ministers since the 1970s including Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. He also once had the privilege of meeting and interviewing boxing legend Muhammad Ali.   He covered and was deeply affected by the Hillsborough Disaster in which 96 football fans lost their lives in 1989. Mike says: "It made me much more aware of how interested parties can try to form a distorted narrative and that, unless we are very careful, history can be shaped by dishonesty."   Mike lives in Yorkshire with his wife Glenys. In February this year his son Ross died by suicide aged just 31. In his farewell letter he asked his family to campaign for better mental health services and Mike is trying to honour Ross's request.