I recently had the pleasure of talking to 19-year-old Joshua Hewitt, a NI YouTuber who has endured difficulties most of us would never even dream of.
His video blog, The Hewitt Collective, has already gained 480 subscribers and around 280,000 views.
Inspired by Joshua’s journey from suicidal teenager to internet success, I was compelled to tell his story. Here’s what he had to say:
“At the age of five I was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. My early years were a bit of an uphill struggle but mainly good. When I was 13 I was diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
“Secondary school rapidly went downhill, full of young kids trying to make some sort of name for themselves. Needless to say with my inability to mingle and the tics that I had, I was the prime victim for bullying on a scale that nearly caused me my life.”
“When I was 14 I was then diagnosed with Tourettes. The tics would become so violent I would pass out, the physical effort to deal with this and my other illnesses was just too much.
“I went to the teacher who was appointed to deal with special needs. She told me I couldn’t keep using my illnesses as an excuse to keep off school. Shortly after I didn’t need any “excuses” – the tics got so bad I could barely say a word.
“As the tics got out of control, unfortunately so did the bullying. Through BlackBerry messenger I began to get death threats, people actually encouraging me to kill myself as I was ‘a disgrace to everyone including my family’. Another said that if I didn’t do it, they would.
“My mental health took a more dangerous downward spiral. After two attempts to take my life, I decided that the third time I wouldn’t survive.”
“I was standing on a bridge ready to jump when my Aunt saw me. With the help of two police officers they talked me down. They saved my life.
“But the bullying continued. While I was put in my own private room at the hospital I discovered not only was it to keep me safe from myself, but a 28 year old man was looking to do me serious harm. A man I have never met, the same man who thankfully, went to the wrong address while looking for me.
“It was time to fight back. When I eventually got home I changed my views, I became more positive until eventually things started to change. By pure chance I discovered a Vlogger by the name of Ben Brown – the more I watched the more I seemed to become calmer. As I developed a love for all sorts of Vlogs, my tics disappeared.
“To see people sharing their adventures put me into my own bubble of happiness. I made my own Vlogs, then two years ago I decided to create my own channel.”
“It has given me the confidence to travel to Italy and Uganda, whereas before I wouldn’t go to the corner shop. I’m appearing on Channel 5’s ‘Celebrity Trolls’ in August and I won an award for Campaigner of the Year with Ignition.
“My Vlog is not just about lifestyle and travel, it’s also there to help people with mental illness. I don’t care what part of the world the viewers are from, what time it is, whatever the cost – my phone is on 24/7. I just want to be the voice for the voiceless.”
As I sat listening to Joshua I was filled with admiration and hope. I was going to use this piece to write about bullying or neglect or the fact no one was even charged with the damage they helped to cause him, but instead I’m going to say: Well done young man, you are an inspiration to us all.
This final point from Joshua sums up both his courage and the attitude which helped him to survive: “If I met any of those people who meant me harm I would shake their hands and thank them, for without their hatred towards me I wouldn’t have become the person I am.”
Check out Joshua’s Vlog, The Hewitt Collective, here: www.youtube.com/channel/UCnkXpgQuKorEvY_E9m5HyzQ