A British YouTuber known for his 'genius' inventions filmed a final goodbye to his followers before taking his own life, his family has revealed.
A Scheduled Farewell to 579,000 Subscribers
Dr Robert Murray-Smith, 62, from Herne Bay in Kent, scheduled a video to be published to his 579,000 subscribers the day after he died. In the clip, posted on September 26, he sat beneath a portrait of his late wife, Patti, and told his audience it was time to 'call it adieu while we're all really happy'.
The video, titled '2440 My Last Video' on his channel 'Thinking and Tinkering', lasted just a minute and a half. In it, Dr Murray-Smith explained that creating content had become 'a little repetitious and, well, boring to be honest'. He thanked his community for their support but gave no direct indication of his plans to end his life.
Brother Reveals Tragic Struggle with Grief and Health
Two weeks later, his brother, Dave Smith, posted a follow-up video to share the devastating news. Dave explained that Robert had never recovered from the loss of his wife Patti, who died around eighteen months prior. Compounding his grief, Dr Murray-Smith's physical health had deteriorated rapidly, leaving him struggling to walk.
'It contributed massively to what was already a depression,' Dave said in the video, which has been viewed over 205,000 times. He described his brother as a man who would always insist he was 'fine' when asked about his feelings, making it 'very, very difficult' for family to intervene. 'You saw his videos - you wouldn't realise that there was misery underneath all that, because his mask was very, very well tuned for all of us.'
Legacy of a 'Genuine Genius' and a Family's Tribute
Before the truth was known, fans flooded Dr Murray-Smith's final video with messages of gratitude and sadness. One viewer called him a 'rare and precious gem', while another stated his catalogue of over 2,500 videos and 80 million views would not be forgotten. Tragically, he never read these tributes.
To honour his memory, his family has launched a fundraiser for the suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). Dave Smith highlighted how his brother typified the struggle many men face in discussing their emotions. 'We chose this particular charity because we are pretty certain that in the year and a half since Patti died, Robert was living miserably.'
The announcement of his death has prompted an outpouring of grief, with one commenter revealing Dr Murray-Smith's tutorials had helped him build heaters while homeless, potentially saving his life. Another wrote: 'In a world full of horrible people, be a Robert Murray-Smith.'
For confidential support, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 and CALM at thecalmzone.net.
