Dr Alex George has shared a heartfelt post in honour of his dad, Anthony, to mark International Men’s Day.
The Love Island star, 30, took to Instagram to mark the occasion and also urged his followers to check in on their male friends’ mental health.
Alongside a selfie of himself with his retired police officer father, Alex wrote: ‘ I am super proud of you Dad, you are always there for me. Love you.’
Father and son: Dr Alex George has shared a heartfelt tribute to his father Anthony to mark International Men’s Day
He said: ‘I see International Men’s day as a chance to celebrate the incredible men in our lives. It is also a reminder to check in on our family, friends and colleagues.
‘Traditionally society has expected men to appear ‘strong’ and ‘tough’. Remember that even those who appear the ‘strongest’ need support at times.
‘Happy International Men’s day. I am super proud of you Dad, you are always there for me. Love you,’ Alex finished the touching tribute.
Alex has been very vocal about mental health and has often encouraged his fans to discuss their feelings since his younger sibling, Llŷr, tragically passed away in July aged 19.
Get talking: The Love Islander, 30, also encouraged his followers to check in on their male pals and their mental health
Heartfelt: Alex praised his dad for ‘always being there’ for him in the touching post
Alex also took to Instagram Stories on Thursday to remind people that even a simple message could help spark a discussion on mental health.
Speaking in a video, he said: ‘Today is International Men’s Day and I think it’s a great opportunity to stop and talk about mens’ mental health.
‘Whether it’s friends, family, colleagues, we all have men in our lives which matter and we know that us blokes aren’t always the best at talking about the way that we feel.
‘Check in on people today – whether it’s just a WhatsApp to a friend or a brother or uncle – and see how they’re doing because you never know how much that could help that person on that day.’
Tragic: Dr Alex has been very vocal about mental health and is trying to do everything he can to help people who are struggling after his younger brother Llŷr passed away in July
Last month Alex said that educating children about mental health should be made a ‘priority’ at schools.
The reality star is doing ‘everything in his power’ to help others after his younger sibling Llŷr passed away this summer.
Talking on Lorraine, Dr Alex said mental health should be taught alongside maths and English as it’s important to provide children with a toolkit.
He was talking as part of ITV’s mental wellness campaign and fundraiser, Britain Get Talking, ahead of World Mental Health Day.
He told Lorraine Kelly: ‘We’re really moving into a mental health crisis in schools and around the country.
‘Recent statistics released show there’s been over 1.5million increases in the number of cases of children struggling with their mental health since Covid and very sadly, a sharp increase in the number of suicides too, so we do have to take it seriously.’
Education: Last month Alex said that educating children about mental health should be made a ‘priority’ at schools while appearing on Lorraine
Dr Alex said that while there is some ‘fantastic work’ being done across the country, every child deserves the right to good mental health education.
He said: ‘There’s some fantastic work being done… people who are really passionate about this and there are incredible resources out there with Time to Change, Heads Together, but we need to integrate that in all schools around the country.
‘So you haven’t just got pockets of good mental health teaching and support, it should be in every school.
‘In my opinion, every child has a right to good mental health education and good mental health support, which means counsellors in every school.’
It comes after Dr Alex revealed that losing his brother has encouraged him to do ‘everything in his power’ to help others struggling with mental health issues.
In an interview with MailOnline, the Love Island star detailed the Fresher & Healthy campaign by Scape, the student living specialists – aiming to safeguard pupils’ mental and physical health as they return to university amid COVID-19.
The healthcare professional shared his motivation behind launching the initiative as he said: ‘Mental health is an illness and when you lose someone you love to that illness it encourages you to do everything in your power to ensure people see it and treat it in that way.
‘As an A&E doctor, it is very important to me to make sure people are aware that they must act if they are experiencing feelings of depression, anxiety or stress.’
The media personality went on to stress the importance of reaching out to others, adding: ‘No one is alone in their battle with mental health, there are people and organisations that can help.
Family: Dr Alex recently thanked his brother Elliott for being his ‘rock’ after the tragic death of their other sibling Llyr earlier this year
‘It’s so important that we get the message out there that young people can and should ask for help if they are not feeling well mentally.
‘There is always someone you can speak to whilst at university and it’s just making sure that students are aware of the resources out there to help them.
‘For instance at Scape, there is always somebody to talk to, be it the reception team (who are mental health trained) or Scape’s Wellbeing Manager. There is also an app that students can use to ask for help from the comfort of their own room.
‘Helping young adults to feel safe, by providing them with the correct medical insights and practical health advice, is an area I’m very passionate about personally.’
Alex has been keeping busy working on the NHS frontline amid the coronavirus pandemic, an experience he’s documented on social media.
If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org.
‘Young people should ask for help’: It comes after Dr Alex revealed that losing his brother has encouraged him to do ‘everything in his power’ to help others struggling with mental health