Spencer Matthews’ ‘Finding Michael’ highlights the need to talk about grief

The mental health challenges experienced by families of missing persons, presumed dead, can be significant and long-lasting. The uncertainty of not knowing what has happened to their loved one can be incredibly stressful and can lead to a range of emotions such as anxiety, fear, sadness, anger, guilt and hopelessness.

Spencer Matthews is a British television personality and former star of the reality TV show ‘Made in Chelsea’, which follows the lives of young, affluent socialites in the Chelsea area of London. He also had a reputation for partying and causing drama among the cast.

Since leaving the show, the Eton College educated Spencer married model Vogue Williams, and the couple has since had three children together.

Spencer’s family owned Caunton Manor, a 30-acre estate in Nottinghamshire and Eden Rock in Saint Barthélemy, sometimes described as one of the ‘top 100 resorts in the world’. However, behind the fame and fortune, there is also heartbreak.

In 1999, Michael Matthews, Spencer’s brother, became the youngest Briton to summit Mount Everest. But three hours after he reached the top of the world, aged just 22, he disappeared into blinding snow and his body has never been found.

Michael Matthews’ death is a tragic reminder of the dangers of high-altitude mountaineering. Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain, has a reputation for being extremely dangerous to climb. Many climbers have lost their lives while attempting to reach its summit. According to the Himalayan Database, which tracks all expeditions to the mountain, there have been a total of 311 deaths on Everest between 1921 and 2021.

In 2022, 23 years later, Spencer set out on a journey to Everest to find his brother’s body, in a British documentary film called ‘Finding Michael’ and broadcasted on Disney+ in March 2023.

This incredibly moving documentary, reveals how a family deals, or in this case, doesn’t deal with grief. Dealing with this tragedy as a 10-year-old child, you can tell that it was a very difficult and confusing time for Spencer. He states that as a family they struggled to smile and laugh for years after the event and it’s obvious to see that he didn’t express his emotions at the time. Even now, Vogue announces that she has only ever seen him cry twice.

This beautifully shot, almost detective like, rescue mission shows the revealing look at grief, especially for families and friends when a person dies. From video footage of not only those who Matthews’ knows, but also others that have lost loved ones at Mount Everest, we see the sheer devastation that losing someone does. Especially to those who are still missing, but obviously presumed death.

Even now and and according to estimates, there are around 200 dead bodies on Mount Everest, most of which are located above 8,000 meters (26,247 feet) where the air is thin and the conditions are extremely harsh. Many of these bodies are well-preserved due to the cold temperatures and lack of oxygen. Without spoiling the documentary, ‘Finding Michael’ highlights this and deals with it beautifully and helping a family in return.

We must applaud Disney+, normally known for its animation and super-hero films and series, for broadcasting this. It clearly defines the importance of talking about grief and how families may continue to struggle with the emotional and psychological impact of their loss.

It also highlights the importance for children to be encouraged to express their emotions and not suppress their feelings. This is so that it doesn’t affect their mental health and emotional well-being for years or even decades ahead.