A West Belfast mother is continuing to fight for a crisis and rehab centre in Belfast, after the death of her son.
Jack Brennan died on January 18, 2021, after a long battle with drug addiction and mental illness. His mum Lorraine found her son's lifeless body on the floor of his Glen Road apartment.
The 23-year-old, from Lenadoon, started to smoke weed when he started secondary school. That soon turned to harder drugs, like cocaine and then heroin, which he injected.
Read more: Belfast mum's pledge to help others following son's death from drug addiction
Speaking to Belfast Live about her son's struggles, Lorraine said Jack would have cried for help, but he was never diagnosed.
And she explained how alongside her campaign, the family will be raising money to help bring young people to rehabs, with the help of Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn.
"Drugs were Jack's problem yes but mental illness and drugs go hand in hand," Lorraine said.
"I am a broken-hearted mother. Sadly, too many people like my son, are not offered the timely support they deserve or need to help treat their addiction and to help them in times of crisis.
"So many individuals, families and communities impacted by addiction, have experienced long waiting lists to get help, only for the support offered not being enough, then being discharged from services or hospitals and left to look after themselves.
"Mental health inequalities continue to be ingrained with drug related deaths in the most deprived areas. We as a family, want to prevent other families from losing a loved one to addiction and experiencing this painful grief and loss. We want to give our young people more hope and support when they need it.
"There is no moving on or getting through losing Jack. The loss and love I feel for him is immeasurable. I’ll never sleep properly again. I'll always have brain fog. Sometimes I lose my mind but that's just a mother who needs her child.
"Without Jack I feel broken, tired, lonely and vulnerable because grief is a monster. There will always be an emptiness without Jack even in a room full of people."
Next month, Jack's family will host a fundraising event, to raise money to ease financial pressures of those who need access to a rehab centre.
Known now as 'Jack's Promise', his family continue to pressure those with power to make change, and to raise money and awareness for dual diagnosis in regards of mental health and addiction issues.
"People are contacting me and asking me for help," Lorraine told Belfast Live.
"We want to be able to send these young people to rehab, to get that help. There's no help here. We want to help our kids, if we can save one life, it will be major."
Please follow this link to view the family's online petition, and click here for their fundraising link.
Anyone who needs to talk to someone about mental health issues can call the Samaritans on 116123 or Lifeline on 0808 808 8000
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