Wayne Holdsworth's plea to every Aussie after son Mac took his own life over cruel sextortion scam
A heartbroken father has made a simple request of all Australians after his young son tragically took his own life following a cruel online scam.
A heartbroken father has made a simple request of all Australians after his young son tragically took his own life following a cruel online scam.
Wayne Holdsworth found his son Mac, 17, dead in their Melbourne home after online trolls tricked him into a sextortion scam via social media.
He now wants Aussies to log off from their own social media platforms for a day on October 24- the anniversary of Macs tragic death.
Mr Holdsworth has launched Unplug 24 to raise awareness and funds to help prevent sexual extortion and suicide.
Essentially the Unplug 24 campaign is around asking every Australian that I can get to to abstain from social media for 24 hours on October the 24, he told The Project on Sunday night.
So its not about eliminating text messages or telephone calls, just social media.
Were asking every Australian to abstain for 24 hours and set an example as adults to all of our children that were in control of the social media, and social media isnt control of us.
He said it would give Aussies a chance to prove that theyre in control of social media.
Mr Holdsworth lost his son Mac (left) after a cruel troll leaked an intimate photo to his friends
Wayne Holdsworth wants Aussies to set an example to their children and boycott social media on October 24- the first anniversary of his sons death
I think essentially what well get to is that people have got the confidence now to abstain from social media when they want to, he continued.
Panellists on The Project were keen to get on board.
Co-host Sarah Harris told the father in her time getting to know him she thought he was the most beautiful dad.
What do people need to do? she asked Mr Holdsworth.
Id urge every Australian to get onto www.smacktalk[.com.au], he said, adding the Mac in the name is a reference to his son.
Harris asked the emotional dad what his late son would have made of the campaign.
Mac supported everything I did and if he was with me now hed say go for it dad, youre making a difference, Im with ya, Mr Holdsworth said.
Thats what I know hes saying from up there, Im with you dad.
Mr Holdworth also opened up on his familys grief almost one year on from the tragedy.
Every days a struggle, he said.
But we have to look at what difference we can make in the community. I could have taken my own life straight after Mac passed away.
I couldve lived a really blaming sort of life, but Ive used his death to do more and help others, simple as that.
And SmackTalk is around suicide prevention.
Mr Holdsworth offered to talk with anyone who reaches out to him and estimated hes already spoken with 8,000 Australians.
The father-of-two and CEO of the Frankston & District Basketball Association, never had any indication his son was struggling.
Even in the hours before he was found dead in his bedroom, Mac had been upbeat, joking with his family and making plans for the next morning.
But, the father believes Mac had felt he only had one way out of the hellish scam.
Mac had been tricked into sending an intimate picture to someone he thought was a teenage girl on Instagram.
Instead the image was received by a depraved 45-year-old pervert in NSW, who then used it to extort the teenage boy.
The man first demanded $500, which Mac quickly sent. Then came another demand for the same sum.
Mac was told his family would hate him and that hed want to take his life if the photo was ever shared online.
Mac told his father and the police about the situation.
When the police made efforts to track down the perpetrator, the man hacked Macs Instagram account and shared the photo with his closest mates.
The situation left Mac humiliated, despite his best efforts to laugh it off with friends.
Police charged the man over the scam and asked Mac to prepare a victims statement to be read in court, but he took his own life before he could confront the pervert who tried to ruin his life.
He, in my opinion, never got over that, Mr Holdsworth told Daily Mail Australia earlier this year.
Mr Holdsworth has spent his time to helping prevent suicide following the death of his son
The suicide letter that he wrote indicated that.
During a search of Macs devices, the father found a letter with Macs apologies for being a burden to his family.
The man was sentenced to just six months behind bars at the time, having served three and has since been released.
Mac took his own life exactly 100 days after his mother Renee passed away following an 18-month battle with multiple sclerosis.
Macs death spurred Mr Holdsworth to begin not-for-profit organisation Smacktalk
Since Macs death on October 23 of last year, Mr Holdsworth said hes spent nearly everyday talking with parents and youth about mental health and rising suicide rates.
Through his non-profit, Smacktalk, he shares his own story with groups and teaches them how to spot signs someone they love is struggling.
Part of the grieving apparently is finding something that makes you feel better. And people talk about riding a bike, hiking, or doing something physical, he said.
Well this is mine... I have an absolute obligation to help other families by sharing my story and presenting some proven guidance that can hopefully help.
Almost 400 Aussies have already registered to take part in Unplug 24.
If you or someone you know needs support, call Lifeline: 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
