By now, one would have expected Somizi Mhlongo to go on a Instagram rant and school people on kindness and stop social media bullying. But because Riky Rick's passing is a result of years of suffering from depression and was not just because of the cyber bullying he endured last week on Twitter, he decided to honour his friend in a more heartfelt way.
The Idols SA judge shared his new look on the show and he rocked a green hair do and a glammed up two piece outfit. At the back of his jacket, he wrote the year in which Riky Rick was born and the year he left us.
When he learnt of his passing, he revealed that he was not feeling okay and then posted a video of them hugging for the last time.
He remembered Riky as a person who like to laugh, worked, dress and ball so hard among other things. "If I was asked what's the one thing ill remember u by...I'd undoubtedly say the way you got excited to see me whenever we bumped into each other.
"On this day u asked me if I'm ok after everything I've beeen through and I said I'm OK. Then you said Somizi please let me know if u need to talk or need anything....I promised I will...little did I know I'm hugging you for the last time."
When veteran actor Patrick Shai committed suicide, he took to IG and spoke about mental illness and the damage social media does.
“Social media is the biggest cause of suicide because of cyberbullying, because certain apps are about that, Twitter being one of them, Tik-Tok is going there, its losing its fun and the purpose why it was created," said Somizi “
“I have never been so moved and triggered by a situation kanje, because of what I wrote last week on Twitter. I’m hurting for his family. I’ve been through the pain of being cyber bullied, and it can take you to a level mentally you don’t even understand. I’ve watched how toxic people have become, how we have human beings that are God soooo judgmental. I’m in so much pain because a legend that deserved to be put up on a stage and be given his flowers for his line of work ended up leaving this earth in a painful way."
On Riky's passing, a TV producer told people his depression started way back and not something he suffered from just recently.
"Please stop speaking as if Riky caught a case of the depression in the last week and y’all stupidly missed the symptoms or people online caused it. He had been struggling for years. If you didn’t know, he didn’t want you to.
"I spent 6 months on set with him in 2017 watching him go through this. His struggle and the pressure to continue to be Riky Rick through depression, weighed heavy. I wrote briefly about it at the time. And it later inspired #thegramsham podcast series."
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But yes, kindness wouldn’t go amiss. And yes, checking in on your people is absolutely needed. And if someone tells you they’re not ok, don’t dismiss it and say they’ll be fine. LISTEN. Educate yourself about depression so you know whether they need further help.
