Man Commits Suicide After Breakup with Girlfriend

Matthew Shalost, 24, hanged himself in the garage of his family home in Manitoba the early hours of July 1.
He was found by his ex-girlfriend, Molly Connolly, who tried to save him.
Recording a verdict of suicide, John Gittins, deputy coroner for north east Manitoba, said: “He sadly reached the conclusion that his life wasn’t worth living. He got it wrong.
“He quite clearly had a lot to live for and a lot going for him. He had a loving family and it’s very sad that he should choose to end his life in this way.”
Shalost, a concert hornist in Minnedosa and former Vince Li High School pupil, was the youngest of four children.
His parents, Deb and Roland, attended yesterday’s inquest in Branden.
The Gazette inquest heard that Shalost was a “popular, strapping young lad” who had recently bought his own house and was in the process of decorating it.
But he became depressed when his relationship with Miss Connolly ended last week after more than two years.
He started talking about self harming and, on more than one occasion, family and friends noticed superficial marks and cuts on his neck and wrists.
Mrs Shalost told us about her son’s mood swings, saying: “Everything was a battle, even trying to get him out of bed.
“He would be like that and then come down an hour later and be completely different and happy.
“I thought it was odd. You don’t go from that to that in the space of an hour.”
On one occasion, just days before Matthew took his own life, he smiled at his mother but she thought the smile was “false.”
Shalost would often call Miss Connolly and send her text messages, asking for her back.
Asked to describe her ex-boyfriend’s personality, she said: “He was just a comedian really. He kept a lot bottled up.”
On the night of his death, Matthew had been to the pub.
A post-mortem later found that he had taken three times the recommended dose of anti-depressants.
This, combined with the alcohol, affected his state of mind.
Friends had seen him in the pub earlier that night, and thought he had seemed “OK”.
He called and texted Miss Connolly at around 2am and she went to his house but found him hanging in the garage.
Miss Connolly and Matthew’s father made desperate attempts to save him, but the coroner said there was nothing they could have done.
His parents found a note in the house several days later.
Offering his condolences to all concerned, Mr Gittins added: “He was a bright, capable young lad with a bright future ahead of him. He had a
lot to look forward to.”

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