Content material warning: This text incorporates dialogue round suicide and psychological well being.

Rhys Bennett comes bounding into the media room at Manchester United‘s Carrington coaching floor bristling with vitality, as you’d anticipate of a 22-year-old skilled footballer.

Tall and assured, lean and bodily match – other than a knee damage he’s attempting to get better from so he can full a mortgage transfer to a League One membership subsequent month – defender Bennett affords a agency handshake and talks of his growing talent as a DJ.

Captain of United’s final FA Youth Cup-winning workforce in 2022, Bennett has impressed throughout a mortgage stint at Fleetwood.

However he’s not speaking about that at the moment.

Bennett has critical points to debate, which stem from a heartbreaking message he posted on social media on 28 October.

“Damaged, devastated, simply do not wish to imagine it is actual,” he mentioned. “I like you on this life and the subsequent.”

The message was to his father, David, who had taken his personal life.

Bennett needs to speak in regards to the ache of these left behind, to encourage dialog and plead with these battling their psychological well being to decide on a special path to the one his dad took.

David, together with the remainder of his household, gave his time to assist Rhys and daughter Megan, who works in psychological well being care.

“He was very arduous working,” says Bennett. “You develop up, particularly as a son, and look as much as your father. You wish to be like him.

“He gave me a lot alongside the years, together with my resilience and work ethic. The time him, my mum and household invested in me to fulfil my dream is one thing I will be endlessly grateful for. They had been all the time there for me, it doesn’t matter what.

“They do not realise how a lot they’re appreciated, and the way they have an effect on folks. You wish to have hundreds of thousands extra laughs and cries and no matter it is likely to be. I recognize every thing he is ever performed for me.

“As a lot as it is a unhappy scenario and the final chapter of his life wasn’t a superb one, you have nonetheless bought to have fun his life and take into consideration the nice occasions.

“If I might have yet one more dialog with him it could be to say how grateful I’m of him as an individual, how a lot I like him and let him understand how a lot I actually recognize him. You do not know what you have bought till it is gone.”

Bennett’s cause to speak to BBC Sport is evident. He needs to assist. He realises it’s fairly potential he won’t ever know if an interview has helped a particular particular person, however that’s not the purpose.

“I wish to speak in regards to the significance of telling folks how you’re feeling, how particular it’s to be residing, to be respiratory, to have the ability to eat, to sleep. You have to be pleased about what you have bought,” he says.

“Somebody is likely to be feeling a sure method however hopefully this nudges folks and so they may simply check out an individual and ask are they OK.

“Do not query your self – simply do it. Let the folks you are near know that you just’re there for them.”