Man Posts Frightening Hospital Picture of Himself To Help Prevent Drug Deaths at Music Festivals
Blackburn posted this photo to Facebook, along with a plea for others to avoid the same fate. (Photo: Facebook)
A lucky festival-goer is on a mission after drugs left him in a coma — and his friend dead.
Jordan “Poddy” Blackburn, 20, told the BBC that he took several tablets at Britain’s Kendal Calling festival on July 31. He was placed in a medically-induced coma after falling ill from the various pills, and is now recovering out of the hospital. His friend, Christian Pay, wasn’t as lucky — he died while being treated at the hospital.
Blackburn and friends at a music festival. (Photo: Facebook.com)
In an effort to prevent others from a similar fate, Blackburn posted a picture of himself in a coma to Facebook, writing,
“Many lives over the weekend, not just those lost, but the familys [sic] of those involved have been destroyed - including my own by the careless use of uppers at festivals, or any other time for that matter. I really think I need to raise awareness and show people what the consequences are just off a little pill. I’m not telling people to like or share this post, just please read and think hard about what you’re putting in your body, or at least know what you’re putting in your body.I’ve been lucky enough to have a second chance at life and i’m clinging to every part for me and Chris, so the most i can do is let people know the consequences they put themselves in and their family.
Please be careful guys and share if you can just to let others know.Miss you mate, i’ll make you proud.”
Blackburn’s mother, Alison Turnbul, told the BBC, “He just wants to raise awareness. He was laying in his hospital bed and he just looked and he said, ‘I’ve been given a second chance at life, haven’t I?’ and I said, ‘yes you have’.”
That drug use is rampant at music festivals isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but the anything-goes, constant-rave atmosphere makes it easy to forget the consequences that can come from popping pills or drinking to excess.
“I think at festivals especially, teenagers just want to have a good time with all their friends and they initially forget the dangers they can put themselves in by doing something stupid like we did,” Blackburn told the BBC. “You never realize until it’s too late. You never think at that moment it is ever going to happen to you, but unfortunately you learn the hard way.”
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