A popular estate agent who simply “loved life” was found dead in a hot tub while on holiday last year, an inquest has heard.
Michael Wainwright, aged 40, was a well-known and respected estate agent from Cornwall who worked as director of Saltash-based firm Wainwright Estate Agents.
An inquest held at Cornwall’s Coroners’ Court in Truro yesterday heard how he was found dead on 13 May 2023, while staying at a holiday lodge at Portreath.
At the time, his father Tony Wainwright, managing director at the estate agency, said the family was heartbroken.
He told the press in May last year: “We are devastated. Our family is in absolute bits and trying to come to terms with this terrible news.”
“Mike was loved by so many. He is going to leave a massive hole in many people’s hearts and lives. As a family we are broken with grief.”
Wainwright grew up in Saltash where he remained throughout his life and was described during today’s hearing as a “popular man” who “liked to socialise”.
It also heard how he had began drinking aged 18 but struggled with alcoholism more recently following the breakdown of a relationship during which he reported being physically and emotionally abused.
At his most excessive periods, Wainwright reportedly drank as much as one litre of vodka a day, although he had managed to cut this down to 70cl in attempts to tackle his addiction. At the time of his death, his parents had been arranging private health care for their son.
A postmortem carried out following the death revealed Wainwright had died as a result from drowning and, for comparison purposes, was explained to have been four-times the legal drink-drive limit at the time of his death.
A statement given by Tony Wainwright said: “He grew up in a happy family environment with his older sister Emma living in Saltash. Mike and Emma were very close and he was a good lad who never caused any problems or issues.”
He added that his son “loved life” and “liked to socialise” and was a “regular drinker”; adding, a “functioning alcoholic”.
Emma Hillson, assistant coroner for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, recorded a conclusion of death by misadventure, stating: “It is more likely than not that Mike either fell asleep or became unconscious due to the level of alcohol in his system and drowned in the hot tub as a result.”
Sorry but I think this is a really distasteful take on a very sad event. The clickbait headline is rather grotesque and to then go on to talk in detail about his battle with addiction- what the hell does this have to do with our industry. Very insensitive handling of a difficult event. Had this gone on to talk about support to people in abusive relationships and addiction that would have made sense, but this is just sharing the tragic details of a very sad event for clicks. Not cool.
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Completely agree with Kristjan. This come across as morbid fascination with a very sad story and does our industry no favours.
We should be demonstrating compassion and offering help to those who are struggling. I am sure his family would prefer a kinder and more sympathetic tribute.
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This is a terrible angle to take for an article. A poor man has died and it has been used for a click bait headline, this will be distressing for his family to see. A man has lost his life and I am not sure what this has to do with what he did to make a living. People struggle and we should be offering support and advice not sensationalising their struggles for clicks.
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I think we can leave guttersniping to the regular tabloids, we deserve an industry press that is compassionate, supportive and ready to hold us to account when needed. This coverage is insensitive, speaks nothing to the problems of addiction in our industry and offers no signposting to support services for those similarly affected. Can we stop rubbernecking at tragedy and put it in its proper context? PIE we can do better.
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What is the point of this article please? No attempt to highlight what might be the industry’s problems with alcohol or substances, nor any links to help anyone else struggling with same. His family don’t need to read these headlines with the ‘inverted commas’ to further sensationalise the subject. Very disappointed with your editorial team.
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The headline did what it was supposed to do I suppose click bait to get me drawn it.
Upon reading the article I found it pointless, it is tragic for the family and my heart goes out to them but they don’t need to be reading this.
When mentioning about alcoholism and abuse if this was the angle then further support should be given.
Or why not say what a tough industry it is we are in and actually without a support network everyone of us struggles in this industry.
I like to read things that add value and are informative this did neither.
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