Former England captain Terry Butcher has opened up about the grief of losing his son Chris, an Army captain who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, revealing that he sometimes wears pieces of his son's clothing as a source of comfort. In an exclusive interview ahead of a new ITV4 documentary, Butcher described the triggers that bring back memories of his son, who died at the age of 35 in October 2017.
Butcher found Chris dead on the floor of his bedroom after attempting CPR. An inquest ruled the death was due to an abnormal enlargement of the heart, combined with the effect of drugs against a background of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Butcher said his son's life 'spiralled downwards as the demons took control of his mind' and that 'he became a victim of war'.
The documentary, titled 'Butcher: Invisible Wounds', airs on ITV4 on June 9 at 10pm. It explores Butcher's career and the personal tragedy that followed. Butcher said confronting the memories was difficult but that crying can be helpful: 'You're getting rid of something... grief is a horrible thing.'
Butcher now works with 'Combat2Coffee', a cafe supporting war veterans and their families. He said the worst moment was when his son's body was taken away: 'It was a horrible experience, the worst of my life.'
