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DJ Fresh to Ray Phiri: 'You saved me from depression'

13 July 2017 - 11:13
By TshisaLIVE
DJ Fresh credits Ray Phiri with saving him from
Image: DJ Fresh via Facebook DJ Fresh credits Ray Phiri with saving him from "teenage depression and suicidal thoughts".

In the wake of Ray Phiri's death, DJ Fresh has penned an emotional letter revealing that the veteran musician helped rescue him from a "dark hell" of depression as a teenager.

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday evening, Fresh reflected on how as a teenager he was hit by several big tragedies in a row, including his mom leaving the country, his friend moving overseas and breaking up with his girlfriend.

It was during these struggles that Ray's example, and music gave Fresh courage to fight his demons and stop his decline into "a lonely, dark hell".

"Most break times were spent alone with my thoughts, and these gradually started being those of suicide," he revealed.

He explained that it was during this time that an interview with Ray gave him the courage to fight off suicidal thoughts.

"You spoke of how much of a recluse you were. About the loneliness that came with it. How despite all the fame, constant attention etc- there was still a loneliness (and a) void! Reading how my idol was going through what I was feeling, was all I needed to snap out of it and start embracing that there is a massive, bright future ahead of me and suicide can't be an option," Fresh wrote.

Fresh said his biggest sadness was not in Ray's death but in the fact that he never took the chance to thank Ray for "saving" him.

Ray died in a Nelspruit hospital on Wednesday after a long battle with lung cancer.

#RipRayPhiri Dear Ray Phiri, Your sad passing does not sadden me as much as how I never got a chance (or maybe TOOK the chance) to thank you for saving me from teenage depression and suicidal thoughts. When I was 15 (and in boarding school) my mother left to go and study in the USA. I was devastated because she was the parent I was closest to. That I was always fighting with my dad, did not help. A month later by best friend's family relocated back home to Norway, obviously taking him with. That very Saturday night I broke up with the girl I was convinced was the love of my life (Loooong story, don't ask). All this happened within a space of 2 months and had me feeling alone and abandoned. I put on a brave face every single morning, all the while slowly slipping in what was a lonely, dark, hell. Most Break times were spent alone with my thoughts, and these gradually started being those of suicide. I was In a boarding house full of friends and crazy boys, but always ended up wallowing in self pity and loneliness. One day I picked up a copy of Drum magazine with you on the cover. You were one of my many idols whose music I played at school discos, so anything with you on the cover, I picked up and read. In this issue you spoke of how much of a recluse you were; about the loneliness that came with it; how despite all the fame, constant attention etc. there was still a loneliness/void! (Am paraphrasing) Reading how MY idol was going through what I was feeling, was all I needed to snap out of it and start embracing that there is a massive, bright future ahead of me, and suicide cant be an option. For some, that article was probably just another of many about you. For ME, it was the light / glimmer-nyana I needed when I felt alone and abandoned. Thank you , Bra Ray. I am eternally grateful, and glad I got to see you perform one last time, at the #AfricaDay concert at NASREC. Yours A fan since childhood

A post shared by DjFreshSA (@djfreshsa) on

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