THE mother of a young man who died suddenly has said other people with mental health issues had already sought support after hearing about his death.

Javay Mattis, who lived in Malton, died on Wednesday, November 27, aged 24.

His mum, Sue Munro, said: “A man has already been in to see Javay’s boxing coach at the gym because he saw his story and felt low, awareness is everything.”

Sue added: “The support we have received has been overwhelming and we would like to thank everyone for their heartfelt messages and donations.”

Boxing coach Stephen Melton, who was working with Javay at TMS Boxing Gym in York, said it was important anyone suffering spoke out.

“I have already had someone come to me after reading about Javay for support, which is fantastic,” he said.

“I want to encourage people to speak out about how they feel. I want people in my gym to know that I’m not just a coach - I’m always there to talk if they need it.

“Addressing mental health issues should not be a sign of showing weakness, no matter how big or strong you are.”

Stephen added: “Javay was such a lovely lad and a big part of our gym. It has come as such a huge shock to us all.

“He was such a big character and we felt that he could have been such a big prospect in the boxing world. We are all struggling to get our heads round what has happened.”

Stephen is also focusing on raising money to give Javay the “best send off possible”. He organising a raffle involving prizes from well-known boxers such as Billy Joe Saunders and Ricky Hatton.

A special boxing match has also been organised by TSM Boxing. The event will be held at Millthorpe School, in York, on Saturday, with a minute’s silence in memory of the Javay.

Javay’s funeral will be held on Thursday, December 19, at 11.40am, at Lawnswood Crematorium, Otley Road, Leeds. A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise funds for Javay’s funeral and mental health charities. Donations to gofundme.com/f/the-family-of-javay-mattis