Dr Robert Murray-Smith, a 62-year-old inventor and YouTuber, has died by suicide after struggling with the loss of his wife and declining health. He filmed a final video, scheduled to go live the day after his death, in which he told his half-a-million subscribers he was ending his channel.
In the clip, titled 'My Last Video' and posted on September 26, Dr Murray-Smith said the videos had become 'a little repetitious and, well, boring to be honest'. He thanked his followers for their support, saying: 'Let's call it adieu while we're all really happy.' His brother, Dave Smith, later confirmed the death in a video, stating: 'Robert died the day before that video.'
Dr Murray-Smith, from Herne Bay, Kent, ran the YouTube channel Thinking and Tinkering, which featured over 2,500 videos on DIY gadgets and tools, including off-grid batteries and furnaces. The channel had been viewed nearly 80 million times. His brother said the loss of his wife Patti two years ago and recent health problems contributed to his depression.
Dave Smith explained that his brother struggled to talk about his feelings, becoming passive-aggressive when pushed. He said: 'His mask was very, very well tuned for all of us.' The family is fundraising for the charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) in his memory.
