A two-time British pole-dancing champion, described as a “national treasure”, hanged himself while suffering from depression during the coronavirus blockade.
Jessica Leanne Norris, 27, was found unanswered at a friend’s home in Bolton on June 15, 2020, The Sun reported on an investigation.
“Don’t come in. Call 999. I’m sorry,” the tragic woman wrote in a note she put on her bedroom door, according to the press.
Norris, who won the Miss Pole Dance UK title in 2011 and 2015, has struggled with mental health issues since she was a teenager, the meeting said.
“Jess led a life of structure and struggled when the blockage meant she could not teach or participate in stick dance competitions,” said her mother, Alanna Norris.
The young woman, who had taken antidepressants while working as a fitness instructor, stayed at her friend Brian Compton’s house during the first blockade in the country.
On the morning of her death, Compton checked in with her by text, but received no response while working, reports The Sun. When he returned, he discovered her body in the bedroom.
A toxicologist found no evidence of drugs or alcohol in her system, according to the report.
The avid pole dancer, who set up her first studio at just 15 years old, launched in 2019 a fundraising action for mental health charities.
Kay Penney, the founder of Miss Pole Dance UK, described Norris as a “national treasure”.
“Thank you for your contribution and as a true ambassador for the aerial arts, touching so many lives, hearts and souls, uplifting many of us with your fun, unforgettable and fascinating routines,” Penney said, according to The Sun.
“Thank you for your unquestionable dedication and for sharing your talent through numerous classes, master classes, camps, events and competitions,” she added.
“You have shone like a beacon of hope on so many stages and your legacy will live forever in the history of the pole and personally as my pole daughter, who has constantly shown you gratitude over the years and during your reign as double women’s singles champion. “