'Love Island' star Montana Brown breaks down in tears over final Mike Thalassitis text

Katie Archer
·Contributor


Former Love Island contestant Montana Brown has broken down in tears talking about the last text that friend Mike Thalassitis sent to her before his death.

She was a close friend of Thalassitis and at one point was contacting him every day to support him, but tearfully said that she felt guilt at not having replied to the last message he sent her.

Read more: Tributes pour in for Mike Thalassitis

Talking to This Morning about her shock at the news he had taken his life over the weekend, she said of their last contact: “(It was) two days before (his death), but I’m kinda kicking myself because he text me and I didn’t actually reply, just because I’m really bad with my phone.

“You overthink everything, what did I do…I just wish I’d replied.

“He said, ‘How’s it going, girl, how are you?’ and I didn’t reply.”

(ITV)
(ITV)

Brown broke down in tears as she talked about the message, but also spoke about having offered him constant support at the end of 2018 when he appeared to be struggling with mental health issues.

She said: “He did go through a really rough time in November, December time and I know he was really struggling, and that’s when I thought, ‘oh my goodness, I feel like something bad’s going to happen’.

Read more: Love Island producers respond to calls for post-show support

“I was at my wits’ end thinking something really terrible was going to happen if I didn’t do something. I felt like he was coming out of it, which I think is why it’s come as such a shock because he was doing so well.”

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I’ve thought long and hard about what I want to say, I’ve woken up and unfortunately this wasn’t just a nightmare so this is to you Mr Thala. Firstly, I’m so angry at you for doing this because you are so loved by so many people and I just wish you picked up the phone so we could’ve sorted this out. This didn’t need to happen😭. Secondly, it annoys me that you were so misunderstood. “Muggy Mike” was your stage name and let’s face it, the ladies did fall at your feet BUT everyone had this impression of you and you were literally the opposite you were one of a kind. Mike, you were so thoughtful, caring and loyal to me and all your friends, you know some of my darkest secrets and I know yours. I could always rely on you to tell me when I’m being a nut job to Elliott and tell me to get off his case 😂 and I always told you to stop partying too much and getting too pissed😂🙈 I just wish people had a tiny glimpse of what the real you was like. You sent me a Christmas card in the post this year, you checked up on me everyday at the beginning of this year when I was struggling myself, you really were the kindest, sweetest person and I am so devastated and crushed that I’ll never get to see you again. Now I know you were in a dark place a few months back and I thought you were past it and that you were on the up. I got you to buy The Magic, you wrote down your gratitudes, you had the pictures of your family in your car to remind you to be grateful for them. I just don’t know how I didn’t notice… I am absolutely heart broken that I couldn’t help you. Your phone call a few days ago to tell me that I’m smashing the swimwear, you’re proud of me and that you’re grateful for my friendship is the only thing that’s keeping me going right now. At least you knew how much you meant to me. I will help open your cafe with Scott because you worked so hard on it so don’t you worry! I can’t imagine how much pain you must have been in to do this, and the fact that you went through this on your own breaks my heart. I’m so so sorry I couldn’t do more to help you. I have so much love for you Mike and I will never forget you. Sleep tight darling and I miss you so much already 💙

A post shared by M O N T A N A B R O W N (@montanarosebrown1) on Mar 17, 2019 at 2:25am PDT

Brown added: “When he was going through a really rough time, every day I was checking up on him. I was really worried about his mental state.”

Explaining more about what he had been struggling with in December, she said: “The work wasn’t coming in, he’d finished Celebs Go Dating, the buzz had gone and he didn’t really know what to do for work.

“I think the stress really got to him and he thought the fame isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.”

Brown also spoke of the heartbreaking moment she learned of his death, after being told by a friend of what she first assumed was just a horrible rumour.

She said: “I texted him saying, ‘Hey, there’s this really weird rumour going round, call me when you get this.’ It didn’t deliver on WhatsApp and that rang alarm bells. I tried to call him and his phone went straight to answerphone and then I felt sick.”

The reality star added that she had found herself wondering “why now?” as Thalassitis’ future had been looking much more positive.

She said: “Last year potentially could have been bad, I could have seen that coming. But he’d been booking trips, he booked a trip to California with his best friend for a couple of weeks, he wanted to go to Sweden, he was about to open this cafe, he’d been going to the gym…

Read more: Death of Mike Thalassitis ‘not suspicious’ according to police

“In my eyes, there was no reason for him to do that. I don’t know if it was a spur of the moment, spontaneous decision where he had a moment of weakness, but it just makes me so sad that he had so many demons he went through on his own.”

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