The mother of a man who was left unable to walk or talk after taking cocaine at a New Year’s Eve party last year has warned others not to take the drug.
Julie Ayre’s son Carl, a former marine, suffered a huge stroke five days after taking cocaine and was left in a coma.
Although he eventually regained consciousness, he is wheelchair-bound and currently lives in a rehabilitation centre.
Heartbreaking
Julie told the Daily Mail: “It’s absolutely heartbreaking”. “He was so active and full of life.”
She added: “Honestly, I don’t think he will get back to normal.”
Doctors told Carl’s family that they believe it was cocaine and the substance it was cut with which brought on the near-fatal stroke.
Selfish
After falling into a coma, his condition was so serious that the family considered turning off his life support.
Julie added: “People think it won’t happen to them. Carl is proof it can.”
She still sees people taking cocaine in the community she lives in and thinks that they are incredibly “selfish”.
Campaign
A campaign which highlights the harm the production and distribution of cocaine causes around the world was launched earlier this month.
#EveryLineCounts targets drug users who may be unaware of the physical harm it causes to individuals and the devastation the production of the drug causes for communities and the environment.