The family of 23-year-old William Chapman have spoken publicly for the first time since his dєatᩚh at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Their emotional tribute revealed that he had struggled with significant mєntal health difficulties for years, while a plea to stop sharing distressing footage has highlighted the pain his loved ones are facing.

The family of William Chapman are struggling to come to terms with the loss of their beloved son after he died following an incident involving a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, England, on October 10.

Chapman, a former child actor, died after entering the enclosure of Altai, a Siberian tiger. Emergency services attended the scene, but he could not be saved.

In a statement released through South Yorkshire Police, his family remembered him as a “bright, warm and engaging young man” who was deeply loved by those closest to him.

But alongside their tribute, they shared a deeply personal detail about the challenges he had faced throughout his life.

HIS FAMILY REVEALS THE STRUGGLES HE FACED

The family said William had experienced significant mєntal health difficulties over a number of years and had been prescribed strong medication.

They stressed that it would be for the coroner to determine whether his health or medication played any part in the circumstances surrounding his dєatᩚh.

“The family are utterly devastated by their loss and are struggling to come to terms with what has happened,” their statement said.

They also expressed hope that the relevant authorities would thoroughly investigate the circumstances leading to the tᩚraɢedy.

Their words have drawn attention to the personal struggles that may have remained largely unseen by the wider public. However, no conclusions have been reached about what led to the incident.

AN EMOTIONAL PLEA TO STOP SHARING THE FOOTAGE

One of the most powerful parts of the family’s statement was their request for people to stop circulating videos and other distressing material relating to William’s final moments.

They said the online circulation of such content was causing them severe distress during an exceptionally painful period.

The family also asked people not to approach them at their homes or collect additional material from William’s or their relatives’ social media accounts.

Their appeal comes as footage of the incident has spread across social media, attracting widespread attention.

For his loved ones, the tᩚraɢedy is not a viral clip or a story for public speculation. It is the loss of a family member whose life and identity extended far beyond the circumstances of his dєatᩚh.

A YOUNG PERFORMER REMEMBERED WITH AFFECTION

Before his dєatᩚh, William had appeared in television productions as a child actor, including ITV’s May Contain Nuts in 2009 and the BBC educational series True Stories in 2012.

He had also attended Jackie Palmer Stage School in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

Following news of his dєatᩚh, the school paid tribute to its former student, recalling the privilege of watching him grow as both a person and a performer.

The school said he would be remembered with great fondness by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Those memories offer another perspective on a young man whose life is now being discussed around the world.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The City of Doncaster Council has launched a health and safety investigation into the incident, while the coroner will examine the circumstances of William’s dєatᩚh.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park has confirmed that the tiger, Altai, will not be euthanised. The animal’s future and the circumstances of the incident remain separate from the family’s request for privacy and respect.

No final determination has been made about the role, if any, that William’s health or medication played in the tᩚraɢedy.

For now, his family are grieving while authorities work to establish what happened.

William Chapman’s family want him to be remembered as the person they loved: a bright, warm and engaging young man. Their message is also a plea for compassion — to stop circulating distressing footage, respect the coroner’s process and give a grieving family the privacy they need.