Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Drugs did this to my boy.. your kids need to be told of dangers
Mum shares shock video of Kealan dying of overdose for campaign
DERRY YESTERDAY
spent a total of six months in Musgrave before being moved to a care home in Garvagh but died in February 2009 – a week after his 22nd birthday. Theresa said: “It was heartbreaking. At the beginning of it we were grieving a great deal. As a mother I knew he was gone from the second day, I knew he would never speak again.
“So most of our grieving had been done in the first few months. Then his death was a blessing to him and us.” She added her son was good at hiding his addiction but she was aware he was smoking cannabis from the age of 18 and this led to ecstasy and other drugs.
Theresa said: “I knew he was smoking, that was obvious. The biggest shock was when he was caught buying ecstasy, I thought he was only smoking so to find out he was caught doing that and taken to court, that was a shock.” ince her son’s death, the mum has used the tragedy to try and help other young people and warn them about the dangers of experimenting with drugs.
She uses pictures of her son before his overdose contrasting with those of him in hospital and videos of him after his overdose as well.
Theresa said: “I want to show them the real possibility they will end up
Slike that, in bed with tubes coming out of them. The pictures, in particular the videos, show him during the last weeks of his life.
“It is quite frightening. Most of his friends could not watch and could not visit him more than once after seeing him like that. “Children have to be educated on what could happen to them, what dangers there are with drugs. “If we can limit the demand for these drugs then supply would have to drop off too.
“The war on drugs is getting worse, especially prescription drugs. It has become more acceptable.
“We need to get this message to young people to stop what happened to Kealan happening to them.” The Mid and East Antrim Policing and Community Safety Partnership launched the new video campaign to help tackle drug and alcohol misuse.
It will also act as a signpost to the support services available.
The video features a young girl on a swing, playing on her phone. A voiceover then asks her a number of questions about her life, which ends in the revelation that she has been misusing prescription drugs.
The video is aimed at both young people and adults who may want someone to talk to.
If you or anyone you know may need help then you can contact the Freephone number 028 2568 9306 for impartial advice.