Grieving widower leaps to his death after no longer being able to visit wife’s grave every day

A widower leapt to his death from a car park after he was no longer able to visit his wife’s grave.

John Cassidy, 86, had been diagnosed with an adjustment disorder – an adverse reaction to a life event – after the loss of his wife of 50 years, Jean.

Mr Cassidy, a retired HGV driver living in Urmston, Greater Manchester, cared for his wife until her death in 2014 and had visited her grave every day since she passed away.

He had been forced to give up his driving licence, leaving him unable to complete his daily ritual.

On 22 June, he jumped from the roof of a car park the Eden Square Shopping Complex near his home.

Mr Cassidy, originally from Northern Ireland, had previously attempted to take his own life with an overdose of medication but was found by his daughter and received treatment in hospital.

He was offered bereavement counselling but did not attend, the inquest heard.

In February 2016, Mr Cassidy was involved in a car accident after crashing into a parked van, after which he was forced to give up his driving licence.

“I knew he would find that difficult, not being able to go every day,” his daughter Bridget Fletcher told the Manchester Evening News.

She added that mental health teams “did what they could” and the family was “happy with the care he received”.

She said: “He was a hardworking, conscientious person. Anyone who spoke of him said how helpful he was.”

To contact the Samaritans free of charge call 116 123; email jo@samaritans.org; or visit samaritans.org.