A heartbroken father has made a simple plea to all Australians after his son tragically took his own life following a cruel online scam.
Wayne Holdsworth found his 17-year-old son Mac dead in his Melbourne home after online trolls tricked him into a sextortion scam via social media.
He now wants Australians to disconnect from their own social media platforms for one day, October 24 – the anniversary of Mac's tragic death.
Mr Holdsworth launched Unplug 24 to raise awareness and funds to help prevent sexual extortion and suicide.
'Essentially, the Unplug 24 campaign is asking every Australian I can to abstain from social media for 24 hours on October 24th,' he told The Project on Sunday night.
“So it’s not about eliminating text messages or phone calls, just social media.
“We ask all Australians to abstain for 24 hours and set an example, as adults, to all our children, that we control social media and social media does not control us.”
He said it would give Australians the chance to “prove” they are in control of social media.
Holdsworth lost his son Mac (left) after a cruel troll leaked an intimate photo to his friends
Wayne Holdsworth wants Australians to set an example for their children and boycott social media on October 24 – the first anniversary of his son's death
“I think essentially what we will achieve is that people now have the confidence to abstain from social media whenever they want,” he continued.
Project panelists were eager to get on board.
Co-host Sarah Harris told her father at the time she met him that she thought he was the “most beautiful dad.”
'What do people need to do?' she asked Mr. Holdsworth.
'I recommend all Australians go to www.smacktalk[.com.au]' he said, adding the 'Mac' in the name is a reference to his son.
Harris asked the emotional father what his late son would have thought of the campaign.
“Mac supported everything I did and if he was with me right now he would say 'go ahead dad, you're making a difference, I'm with you,'” Holdsworth said.
'That's what I know he's saying from above: 'I'm with you dad'.'
Holdworth also spoke about her family's grief nearly a year after the tragedy.
“Every day is a struggle,” he said.
“But we have to see what difference we can make in the community. I could have taken my life right after Mac died.
'I could have lived a really guilty life, but I used his death to do more and help others, simple as that.
“And SmackTalk is about suicide prevention.”
Holdsworth offered to talk to anyone who reached out to him and estimated he has spoken to 8,000 Australians.
The father of two and CEO of the Frankston & District Basketball Association never had any indication that his son was struggling.
Even in the hours before he was found dead in his room, Mac was upbeat, playing with his family and making plans for the next morning.
But his father believes Mac felt he only had one way out of the hellish con.
Mac was tricked into sending an intimate photo to someone he thought was a teenage girl on Instagram.
Instead, the image was received by a depraved 45-year-old pervert from NSW, who used it to extort the teenager.
The man first demanded $500, which Mac quickly sent. Then came another demand for the same amount.
Mac was told that his family would 'hate' him and that he would want to take his life if the photo was shared online.
Mac told his father and the police about the situation.
When the police made efforts to locate the perpetrator, the man hacked Mac's Instagram account and shared the photo with his closest friends.
The situation left Mac humiliated, despite his efforts to laugh about the situation with his friends.
The police charged the man with the fraud and asked Mac to prepare the victim's statement to be read in court, but he committed suicide before he could confront the pervert who tried to ruin his life.
“He, in my opinion, never got over it,” Holdsworth told Daily Mail Australia earlier this year.
Holdsworth dedicated his time to helping prevent suicide after his son's death
'The suicide letter he wrote indicated this.'
During a search of Mac's devices, the father found a letter with Mac's apology for being a burden to his family.
The man was sentenced to just six months in prison at the time, having served three and has already been released.
Mac took his own life exactly 100 days after his mother, Renee, passed away following an 18-month battle with multiple sclerosis.
Mac's death spurred Holdsworth to start the non-profit organization 'Smacktalk'
Since Mac's death on October 23 last year, Holdsworth said he has spent almost every day talking to parents and young people about mental health and rising suicide rates.
Through his non-profit organization, 'Smacktalk', he shares his own story with groups and teaches them how to spot signs that someone they love is struggling.
“Apparently part of grieving is finding something that makes you feel better. And people talk about cycling or walking or doing something physical,” he said.
'Well, that's mine… I have an absolute obligation to help other families by sharing my story and presenting some proven guidelines that I hope can help.'
Almost 400 Australians have already signed up to take part in Unplug 24.
If you or someone you know needs support, call Lifeline: 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
