In It Together festival: Rhys Murray’s bother shares his grief

Tom and his family have decided to get away from the town while the festival is under way and are taking a holiday together.

“It’s a thing we need to do as a family,” he said.

He is thankful for the special memories he has of his brother, such as starring together in local productions of Little Shop of Horrors and Grease.

In the past year he has set up the Rhys Murray Foundation and through events has been able to pay for a mural of his brother in the town, his headstone and donated to charities Asthma and Lung UK and 2wish.

He hopes to give money to community drama groups but his ultimate aim is to open a performing arts school in Rhys’ name.

He said he was staying strong for their six-year-old sister.

“She still says to me, ‘when’s Rhys coming back from heaven?’

“It’s a conversation that we’ll have to have eventually when she’s older but she is aware that he’s not here anymore.”

He said coming to terms with life without his brother was an ongoing process.

“I miss him an awful lot, and there’s not a thing I wouldn’t do to have them back with me,” he said.

“I know people saying there’s loads of stages of grieving but I’m still just trying to process what’s happened and I don’t think I ever will.”