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20th September 2025
04:18pm BST
Disclaimer: Reference to sensitive topics
A British man passed away after telling his family he could not live without his childhood sweetheart who died by suicide in 2022.
Craig Jackson had a kidney transplant in 2017 but began to stop having dialysis treatment in response to the tragic death of his fiancée Cherry.
Dialysis is an essential treatment that cleans a person's blood of waste products and excess water when their kidneys cannot do the job themselves.
In an interview with The Mirror, Craig's family have revealed what he told them before his death in January of this year.
His mother Susan, 59, said: "My son just decided to give up the treatment needed after the kidney transplant.
"If Cherry was still alive today, Craig would still be alive.
"I begged and begged and begged him to go for treatment. I moved into his home to look after him. He said 'Mam, I love you, but I cannot be without Cherry."
Craig's fiancée Cherry Turner took her own life three years ago.
They had been together since the pair were both just 13-years-old.
Craig's mother Susan added: "Cherry was such a beautiful person, inside and out, she was like a daughter to me."
Per a death inquest reported on in The Sun, Cherry was badly affected after police raided her home and mistakenly arrested Craig at gunpoint, believing he was someone else.
Cherry is said to have developed an anxiety disorder in the months after the incident.
The inquest heard that the impact of seeing Craig held in handcuffs had a lasting affect on the 31-year-old, as reported by The Sun.
The coroner's court recorded that Craig's sudden arrest "sparked an anxiety disorder that led to her [Cherry's] suicide".
The police force involved in the raid later admitted that they got the wrong man.
In a statement made at the time, Craig described the arrest ordeal, saying: "I saw green dots reflecting from the wall from the armed police, dogs were barking, sirens were blaring and I was pinned to the ground."
Just seven months later, Cherry died by suicide.
A solicitor representing Cherry's family explained how the impact of the raid affected her in the weeks that followed.
He said: "This was not a routine knock on the door, it was the most intrusive of searches, involving multiple police vehicles, an armed response team, all with weapons which were trained on the bodies of Cherry Turner and Craig Jackson.
"It was a full on search which we now know to have had dire consequences."
It took two full months for the couple to learn that Craig was no longer a suspect, a delay that is said to have made Cherry believe the investigation was not over.
Per The Sun, her solicitor told the coroner's court that Cherry was in fear that officers would return and she even began to believe they may have bugged her home.
At the time Cherry's brother Jake Mottram told the BBC: "The police knew they'd got the wrong man the next day and should have put it right there and then.
"If they had, Cherry's mental health would not have deteriorated."
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health head to thecalmzone.net for practical tips and advice. You can also talk to Samaritans 24/7 by calling 116 123 for free or visiting the Samaritans website. Alternatively, you can find more information and advice on the NHS website.
