The Tragic 2011 Death Of Jamie's Kitchen Star Kevin Boyle

In 2002, chef Jamie Oliver set out on a mission to help young and unemployed youngsters by arming them with culinary skills to thrive in the professional world, according to The Guardian. That is how his non-profit restaurant Fifteen was born. The apprentice program was documented and broadcast as Channel 4 series "Jamie's Kitchen." Oliver recruited 15 apprentices for the program, and Kevin Boyle was among the original apprentices.

Boyle was a talented chef from Old Lodge Lane in Purley, Croydon. During his culinary career, he worked for the likes of King Charles and the prime minister of the U.K., per The Guardian. Having worked in reputable restaurants like Smiths of Smithfield and Le Caprice, the 26-year-old seemed slated for success, but his life wasn't as straightforward as it might have looked from the outside. According to his mother, Patti, the passionate young chef had a big heart, but a painful mix of physical and mental ailments made his life tough. The story of this promising chef would end in tragedy.

In 2011, Kevin Boyle was diagnosed with diabetes, per The Daily Mail. The news came after he collapsed following a restaurant shift. Boyle reportedly feared the disease would affect his career. About two weeks later, in October of that year, he received a mysterious package at his home. Later that day, he disappeared. After a three-month-long search, his body was found in a Coulsdon garden. He was 26. The cause of Boyle's death was "inconclusive," but the notes he left for his loved ones suggested he had taken his own life. Boyle's mother said the pack that was delivered to their house was actually a suicide kit.

Boyle had attempted to commit suicide multiple times throughout his adult life before his death. "He hid his depression so well that I don't think many people realized," his mother Patti told The Daily Mail. Jamie Oliver remembered Boyle as "a beautiful boy and a great, great talent" who was always thinking of ways to help people in need, per The Guardian. Boyle's friend Peter Fosdike said he was not "a masterful chef" who introduced friends to new tastes and a "humble and caring person" (via Islington Gazette).

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.