Exclusive:Tragedy as "kind, loving and funny" young Sheffield man loses battle with drugs
She supported her son in his battle to beat addiction for years
The heartbreaking reality of drug addiction has been laid bare after the tragic death of a “kind, loving and funny” young Sheffield man.
Brandon Worth, aged 24, passed away after fighting his addiction to drugs for years.
Now his heartbroken mum has issued a heartfelt plea to other families dealing with addiction issues, urging them to “never give up”.
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Brandon was staying in a supported living accommodation last September after receiving help to deal with his addiction, an inquest into his death heard.
However, on September 16, a support worker found Brandon unresponsive in his room.
“She believed he was dead and called the police,” assistant coroner Fiona Morrison told the hearing at Sheffield's Medico-Legal Centre.
Tragically, Brandon passed away, with toxicology reports identifying drugs in his system.
“He knew he was loved and we knew that he loved us,” mum Nicola explained in court.
“He was a lovely young man."
In an emotional tribute to Brandon, Nicola added: “I know I’m his mum, but he was the most beautiful person who really battled with it.
“He had ups and downs, but he tried - he really tried.”
Nicola thanked the team at The Greens for supporting Brandon - more information about their services can be found here.
The coroner expressed her sympathy, saying that once people are exposed to drugs it becomes a constant challenge to fight their addiction.
Records read out in court explained how Brandon self-referred to Lifewise for support, and went through long periods of sobriety, including one time where he was in recovery for over a year.
During those periods he would volunteer and support others to get clean.
“These periods showed what he could achieve with the right support,” his mum said.
However, once he relapsed he would “go into this mindset” that he wouldn’t be able to give up his addiction.
Whenever he relapsed, he would lose his supported accommodation.
His family told The Star this left him in a vicious cycle, and he would have to start from scratch again.
“Once you’ve lost your chance, you’ve lost your home - you’ve lost everything,” the family said.
When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at [email protected], or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
Brandon died during a relapse, however relatives said that even at his lowest he “did not lose his moral compass”.
“My message is never give up,” his mum said.
“There’s no right or wrong rules for families, just do what you can live with.”
Ms Morrison ruled the cause of death was from mixed drug use
“Can I just say I am so sorry for your loss,” she said as she addressed the family.
“It’s a very sad and tragic loss of a young man.”