Edit: Following the death of the Queen, the BBC has postponed the screening of the documentary. Date to be confirmed.
In September 2021, Bedford barber Fabio Moliterno took his own life after years of struggling with his mental health.
A year on, his family have opened up and collaborated with the BBC on a documentary that follows their journey in undertaking suicide intervention training to help tackle the issue of male suicide and breaking the stigma around men’s mental health.
Described by the BBC as a “deeply personal and powerful story,” Fabio’s family and some of the staff he worked with at Escobarbers have taken part in the We Are England documentary series which they hope will help other people speak more frankly about mental health and suicide.
According to the Office of National Statistics, 75% of people who take their own lives in the UK are men, a consistent trend going back at least to the mid-1990s.
For Fabio’s loved ones the training is a difficult and emotional journey. His older brother Franko, a DJ and music producer, has found solace in channelling his grief into a song for Fabio, which is released on Wednesday and aired will be aired on the documentary on Friday (16 September).
The track can be pre-ordered here.
“Completely devastated”
The emotive track, featuring lyrics by some of Fabio’s friends as well as voice notes of Fabio himself, promotes mental health awareness and aims to spread a message to men that it’s OK to talk.
“It’s unbelievable that a year has passed,” Franko (aka DJ Turno) told the Bedford Independent.
“As a family, we’ve been completely devastated by Fabio’s passing but we’re determined to recycle that pain into awareness.”
Franko said that his family has been overwhelmed by the incredible support they’ve received from the Bedford community, especially ensuring that Fabio’s shop, Escobarbers, could continue.
“The shop on Lime Street became a base for people to pay their respects after he died,” said Franko. “Olivia, Fabio’s girlfriend, has kept things going and at just 21 years old she’s my inspiration. A proper G.
“What she’s been through is unimaginable.”
During our conversation, Franko explains how hard it is for him to grasp how troubled Fabio must have been to think there was no way to go on.
“We were so close as brothers and he did open up to me about his mental health,” explains Franko. “It must have been hell inside his head.”
Suicide intervention training
When Franko describes Fabio he can’t help but smile. It’s clear that his brother was a larger-than-life character who easily connected with people – including Dorian Alexis of Samsons Academy.
The Moliterno family’s suicide intervention training is organised by Samsons Academy, a Bedford-based gym charity that is working to get mental health awareness into male-dominated spaces such as sports clubs and barbershops.
“To date, just over 900 people across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire have undertaken the Zero Suicide Alliance online workshop and also the ASIST Suicide Prevention workshop,” said Dorian Alexis of Samsons Academy.
“We strongly believe that the discussion around suicide should be discussed in schools, colleges and also in workplaces.
“Being able to discuss issues around mental health and depression is vital so that any early signs can be flagged up sooner rather than later.”
“Through the training, I now understand how important it is to check in on people – a chat or a phone call – if I’m concerned about their mental well-being,” said Franko.
“We want to remove that stigma around talking about suicide.”
Love of music
Franko’s way of showing his love for his brother is through his music, and as a well-established artist on the D&B scene, he has collaborated with artists and friends of Fabio, Myleedan, SJ Loq, Phizi and Too Lippy to create a song about Fabio’s story, how it’s impacted them and also allowed them to talk about their own mental health issues.
“Everyone involved in the song is from Bedford, it’s pure homegrown talent,” said Franko.
“The song aims to encourage young men to open up and talk and I’m humbled and touched by the response from family and friends.
“The lyrics are so relevant and I’m really proud of the project. It’s something special and I’m not gonna lie, I listen to it every day and feel connected to Fabio.”
The song will feature in the We Are England documentary on BBC1 on Friday (16 September) at 7.30pm.
Franko and his family were given a screening of the show by the producers and he said: “It’s really well made. The team have done a really good job of sharing our story and Fabio’s story.
“I hope that it helps people talk to their own loved ones about their mental health and raises awareness of suicide intervention.
“I’m really proud to be part of it and to be able to share such a personal track as part of it is very special.”
You can hear the song and learn more about the Moliterno family’s experiences on BBC1 at 7.30pm on Friday 16 September. The programme will also be available on the BBC iPlayer.
