His face lit up when he started telling me about James That evening, detectives turned up with bad news I’d always been fiercely protective of my son Steven. He was a kind, loving lad with a heart of gold.
But he was also vulnerable.
At 14, he’d been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and that same year, he’d come out as gay.
His stepdad Tommy and I, along with his big brother Michael, then 17, and little sister Katie, 9, were all supportive.
‘We just want you to be happy,’ I promised.
Besides, we were far more concerned about his mental-health issues than his sexuality.
Because, while most of the time he was a gentle, caring soul, when Steven got sick, he’d suffer from paranoid delusions, hear voices, believe people were living…
