A 51-year-old man killed himself 15 years after losing his partner to suicide.
Everton Greaves was found lying unresponsive on the floor of his Northwood home after he had turned to drugs and self-harm following the death of his partner. He was pronounced dead at the scene on January 23.
An inquest has heard how Everton had previously attempted to take his own life.
In a statement, his sister Dina Greaves said: "I went with my father to my brother's house as we hadn't seen him for around six days.
"We knocked, but got no response. My father told me to go round to the side door and it was unlocked. I went into the property and found my brother on the floor in the living room.
"I could see he wasn't breathing. I shouted him several times and had no response. I knew something was wrong and called an ambulance."
Everton had studied at Cauldon College where he had completed beauty therapy, haircare, sports science and massaging courses. He landed jobs in London and Manchester before working on cruise ships and then living in America.
He eventually returned to Stoke-on-Trent to work with people with learning disabilities in Shelton and moved into a house on High Lane, Burslem, with his partner.
Dina added: "He was extremely happy and had found the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. But his partner fell ill in 2005 and he woke up to find he had committed suicide. After this he was never himself."
The inquest heard Everton started to self-harm and would overdose on prescribed medication. He would invite homeless people into his home on Cromer Road to share drugs.
Dina added: "There was nothing we could do to help him. He moved from place to place, but at Cromer Road his behaviour got worse and he would take drugs daily.
"He invited homeless people around to his house to share drugs and would drink alcohol daily.
"He's now in the best place he can be and is no longer suffering or mourning.
"Although it was extremely distressing to see him losing his life, now I can stop worrying about him harming himself and he is at peace."
North Staffordshire assistant coroner Sarah Murphy delivered a suicide verdict.
She said: "He intended the consequence to be his own death."
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