Julie Young, who is one of the residents on Stockton-on-Tees’ Kingston Road, has a very different story to many of the others who feature in the second series of Benefits Street.
The single mother-of-six was forced to quit her job as a community youth worker to look after her son, Reagan, who suffered a cardiac arrest when he was a baby.
He was left brain-damaged and in need of round-the-clock care, something which his doting mother was all too happy to provide for him.
But, while the 15-year-old featured in Monday’s episode of the show, it has now been revealed that he tragically died whilst the show was being filmed earlier this year.
Julie told The Sun: “I miss Reagan so much. He was 15 when he died and he fought every day.
“If love could have helped him, he would never have gone.”
The 53-year-old added: “My son was amazing. He was my life."
Julie also revealed that it was Reagan who convince her to go on Benefits Street in the first place, as she wanted to show the nation how difficult it is to get help in situations such as hers.
She said: "I didn't want to go initially. But I got to know the producers and eventually I decided it would be a good way of highlighting the problems of getting care help in complex situations."
While she is still heartbroken over her son’s death, Julie is hoping to turn her loss into something positive.
She said firmly: “I’ve had a lot of people contact me about care. Lots of parents who are in a similar position to the one I was in.
“I’m setting up a charity called Reagan’s Rainbows. I would like for it to be a registered charity which can employ people who can help parents with kids with complex needs or disabilities.
“I want to do for others what my community did for me.”
Meanwhile a spokesman for Channel 4 said: "Julie and her story has obviously struck a chord with viewers who have been moved by the dignity and humour she demonstrates despite living in very trying circumstances.”
Our thoughts are with Julie Young and her family at this sad time.