Photo: Facebook
The couple died just weeks apart.
By Sarah Gangraw — Written on Jul 12, 2018
The boyfriend of a late British reality TV star was found dead Tuesday, just weeks after the Love Island contestant committed alleged suicide.
Aaron Armstrong's body was reportedly found at a home in Blyth, England days after his girlfriend Sophie Gradon's funeral.
“At around 12.20pm on July 10 police received a report from the ambulance service that a 25-year-old man had been found deceased at a property on Furnace Road in Bebside, Blyth,” a Northumbria Police spokesman said in a statement.
The question on everyone's minds was how did Aaron Armstrong die so close to the death of his girlfriend.
Police have not released Armstrong's cause of death but did state that it is believed to be a suicide.
“There is not believed to be any third party involvement and a report will now be prepared for the coroner,” the statement obtained by PEOPLE continued.
Three weeks ago, former Love Island contestant Graden was found dead of an apparent suicide, NME reported. Armstrong reportedly discovered her lifeless body at her parents' home in Ponteland, Northumberland.
“At about 8:27 p.m. yesterday (June 20) police attended a property in Medburn, Ponteland, where sadly a 32-year-old woman was found deceased,” the Northumbria Police said in a statement at the time. "There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding her death. A report will now be prepared for the coroner.”
Gradon appeared on the reality TV show in 2016 and was crowned Miss Newcastle and Miss Great Britain in 2009.
Armstrong wrote multiple heartbreaking tributes to his late girlfriend on Facebook and Instagram the days after her death and before his.
“I will never forget that smile,” he wrote June 21. “I love you so so much baby your my world forever ever and always.”
On Monday, Armstrong wrote an emotional post on Instagram along with a cute photo of the couple.
"Just wish I could cuddle you all day miss you so much man Sophie not a minute goes by with out your gorgeous smile being a picture in my mind everyday we spent together was so amazing I need them days back I love you princess," he posted the day before his death.
Gradon had been struggling with depression and anxiety before she allegedly took her life. An inquest into her death was opened and adjourned as her death was ruled a suicide.
Prior to her death, Gradon publicly spoke about being abused online after going on Love Island, a British reality show where singles looking for love complete tasks and try to find their perfect match, for two seasons.
After telling the audience at a conference she was speaking at that children as young as 9 years old are committing suicide, she said: "Online bullying is as destructive as face-to-face bullying, sometimes worse."
"Trolls leave you feeling vulnerable, unsafe and upset."
She also said that leaving Love Island left her in a "dark place."
"On leaving the show I descended into quite a dark, dark place owing to the amount of negativity focused towards me. There were positives and some lovely people but I would always let the negatives outweigh the positives. I started to believe what these people were saying about me was true."
After her death, Love Island producers released a statement saying that all their contestants are offered psychological support before, during and after the show. Armstrong was not in the public eye (other than being with Gradon), so any history of anxiety or depression are unknown.
Sarah Gangraw is a travel-addicted cat lady who lives on black coffee and cheese. She has a degree in journalism and writes about all things news and crime. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter — she's occasionally funny.