Calls for change after Jeremy Buckingham's son Eden Buckingham dies by suicide

The former NSW Central West student took his own life following years spent battling with depression and addiction.

Eden's grandfather and former stonemason in Orange, NSW, Lee Bradbury said his grandson's mental health problems began at a young age.

"We as a family probably didn't recognise some of the dark places he was in at times," Mr Bradbury said.

"Like a lot of people who do suffer with mental health issues, they hide it very well."

Eden changed schools four times during his time in Orange, a signal to Mr Bradbury that he was dealing with problems from an early age.

"It really became apparent to me when he lived with me for six months," Mr Bradbury added.

"I could see he wasn't in a good place emotionally. He was at uni and he was an incredibly bright kid. He was very much into physical fitness and he would work out most days, loved the beach and used to cycle with me regularly. We were very close."

Eden and his family moved to Bellingen, in the state's Mid-North Coast, in 2015, followed shortly by Mr Bradbury.

When Eden was 19 years old, his best friend was killed in a car crash. On that particular day, the pair were meant to be in the car together.

"They missed each other so his friend went by himself. That triggered his emotions, obviously as it would," Mr Bradbury added.

"He did speak about suicide and said that he'd considered it at times, but more particularly after his friend passed away."

Eden's mental health became so bad that his grandfather searched far and wide to see what kind of help was available.

While doing this, Mr Bradbury noticed something.

"The first thing which was totally obvious was there are very few facilities, there are very few avenues for people with mental health problems in our country," he said.

"I know we have Beyond Blue and I know we have Lifeline and a number of other organisations, but I really don't think the government does enough to promote and to expand those services. They survive on limited budgets and a lot of them are just voluntary."

Others from across the Central West who have been touched by suicide have also called for more to be done in the regions to help combat the growing mental health crisis.

A call to reduce the number of young lives being lost to suicide across the western region, with one life being too many, is being lead by Australian Community Media, publisher of this website.

Mr Bradbury eventually found a facility he thought could help his grandson, a place called The Cabin in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

"I was fortunate that I was in the position where I could afford the $10,000 a month to keep him there. He actually stayed there for ten months and he came back a changed man," Mr Bradbury said.

"He had purpose and he could see a way forward. He was pretty remarkable. He had been drinking prior to going to Thailand and he stopped drinking entirely and didn't do any drugs. He was just a normal bloke."

Eden even wrote to his grandfather during the stay, to thank him for all that he had done.

"Hey Pa, I've just gone for a drive to clear my head. I felt that a breeze and some solitude would provide a little time to think and contemplate," the letter read.

"I've said it many times and I'll say it again, I'm beyond grateful for the support you provide me in the times where I most need it, that's what families are for.

"Above all, I want to feel better, cutting out a bad diet and total disrespect for myself and those who truly care. I didn't think I'd have the strength to do this Thailand thing, but negative thoughts like that will only ever hold one back. It hurts me the most to see the ones I love hurting because of my actions. I love you so much Pa, thank you."

But it was that turnaround which made Eden's death in August hurt that much more.

He was last seen at his home on Crown Street, Bellingen, at about 12pm on August 15.

When he could not be located or contacted, officers from Coffs-Clarence Police District were notified and immediately commenced inquiries to locate him.

A NSW police spokesman said Eden's body was found around 4pm on August 17 near a walking track in Bellingen.

"On the morning that he died, he walked up to his mother, gave her a hug and said 'mum, I love you so much, thank you for everything'," Mr Bradbury said.

"He said to her that he had an appointment he had to keep and she said 'Eden, you're not in a good place, we need to get you someone to talk to, we need to do something'. He repeated those same words again, drove off and that's the last time she saw him."

"The sorrow that you feel when somebody suicides is indescribable. It's something you never get over and the next person that says to me that 'time heals', I could knock 'em down, because time won't heal. Time might lessen the pain, but it will never change."

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Eden's father, former Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham, took to Facebook to express his grief at the tragedy.

"My beautiful, golden boy Eden is gone. I love him so much and can't believe I have to go on without him," the post read.

"His family and friends knew his struggle, that his mental health had been challenging since a very young age, but Eden battled hard - he was a sensitive, intelligent, warrior.

"He had beaten addiction, become super fit, spending good time with his best mate and brother James and was trying to make plans."

Until his grandson's death, Mr Bradbury said he never realised the "staggering" number of suicides that happen in Australia, which includes six within Orange in the past two-and-a-half months.

"With mental health, we, and the government included, tend to sweep it under the carpet. It's not something that's discussed enough," he added.

"In lots of ways for people, it's seen as an embarrassment and something that they should be able to just get over. Our government and those departments should be looking at what's available overseas and we should be able to have something in Australia that is paid for and maintained by the government."

On September 21, Member for Orange Phil Donato delivered a Notice of Motion in the NSW Parliament calling on the NSW Government and Western Local Health District to establish a Safe Haven in Orange.

During a parliamentary meeting in September prior to Mr Donato's Notice of Motion, Minister for Mental Health, Bronnie Taylor, said that bringing a Safe Haven to Orange had "been in the process for quite some time now."