By Harriet Robinson & PA MediaA student who lost his family home and fell into a deep depression after his mother died has qualified as a vet.
Dr Matt Guy's mother had a heart attack and died two weeks after he started his course at the University of Bristol. During the five-year veterinary science degree he retook a year and had a year out to look after his mental health, but never gave up.He said his mother would have been "insanely proud" to see him graduate and secure a job as a veterinary surgeon at a major chain of practices.
Dr Guy said he wanted "other people who are struggling with grief as well as depression, anxiety or any other mental health issue to know that there is hope in the long run".After a gap year spent working at zoos and vets around the country, he received a contextual offer - a grade reduction for those from backgrounds less likely to go to university - to study at the University of Bristol.
"I feel like I've finally come out of the other side and I'm thinking about my future in a different light," he said.