Prominent New Zealand mental health advocate Dr Tom Mulholland has died, with many tributes being paid to him on social media.
His son, Tommy Mulholland, confirmed the news in a Facebook tribute yesterday.
"I have learnt so much from him in my 27 years and my heart is breaking that it ends here," he wrote.
"He has lived a hundred lives in his time with us and he has helped countless people. This is a loss for so many people and we are all devastated, he has always been an advocate of mental health and dedicated so much of his life to the cause."
Mulholland featured as an expert on medical issues in the media for much of his career and was a regular columnist on Stuff until 2019.
He also toured New Zealand in his own branded ambulance to promote mental and physical health.
Broadcaster Brooke Howard-Smith called Mulholland a "hero".
"We’ve lost one of our best and brightest stars, a tower of purpose who had so many of the necessary tools at his fingertips. He literally wrote books about mental health and wellbeing. He saved lives for a job. People, men, we are still not talking enough. We are still imagining we are alone," Howard-Smith wrote in a Facebook post.
"Dr Tom Mulholland will always be a hero of mine and I’m guessing for the thousands who he inspired and helped, thousands whose lives he changed forever. An incredible life, and in the end the most important lesson. Whatever you are feeling, no matter how alone you are I guarantee others are feeling the same. Please reach out.
"For now, buddy, just know we are so bloody proud of the amazing life you lived and of you. The world is going to miss the hell out of you."
According to a biography on his website, Mulholland completed a first-class honours degree in molecular genetics at the University of Canterbury, and then graduated with a medical degree from the University of Otago in 1989.
"He has been an Emergency Department Doctor and GP for over 25 years and has practised from an Auckland Hospital, rural New Zealand towns, the Chatham Islands and worked in Antarctic, Arctic and Indo Pacific as a ship's doctor and expedition leader.
"Hosting his own TV and radio shows, writing two internationally-best selling books and being a professional speaker to the likes of Google, Microsoft and Hilton for the 20 years has made him a well-known figure in the New Zealand and international community. He has also been an Honorary lecturer in Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland."
Stuff reports his death is being investigated by the Coroner.
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