A GRIEVING mother has set up a support group in memory of her son who died after taking drugs on his birthday.
Billy Mullin, from Worthing, had a heart attack after taking MDMA on his 24th birthday. He died three days later on November 12, 2020.
Billy had a seizure soon after taking the Class A drug and was rushed to Worthing Hospital, before being transported to King's College Hospital in London.
His mother Nicci Parish says she had spoken to her son just hours before the incident.
"I'd facetimed him that day to say happy birthday," she said. "I will never forget that phone call. It will haunt me for the rest of my life.
"When I got to the hospital and finally got to see Billy, he was lying in a pool of his own blood."
Billy’s mother remembered her eldest son as a “happy, naughty but never boring 24-year-old that loved everyone he met.”
“He was a carer for adults with learning difficulties, a part time model and an aspiring photographer – and then he wasn’t,” she said.
“The loss is immeasurable.”
In memory of her son, Nicci has set up Billy and Beyond – a community interest company to support young people's mental wellbeing through fun and educational days out.
The group held their first fundraisers last Friday, which was a pub crawl in Worthing.
“I wanted to do something positive in Billy’s name and by providing fun, educational days out, leisure activities for families or individuals that are suffering from mental wellbeing is perfect as it reflects Billy’s fun-loving personality,” Nicci said.
“We also want to increase drug safety awareness and provide a non-judgemental community to share personal journeys.”
“Billy’s story is why Billy and Beyond exists,” she added.
On November 9, 2020, Billy and his girlfriend wanted to go out and celebrate his birthday but were unable due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
Instead, he opted to have a few drinks mixed with some MDMA, according to Nicci.
Within hours of taking the drugs, Billy had a seizure, and his girlfriend called an ambulance.
Nicci was told her son was unlikely to survive the trip from Worthing Hospital to London for frozen plasma treatment.
“We were told even with this, if he survived his organs were failing and he’d lost his fingers and toes,” she said.
Nicci said Billy had taken drugs recreationally before, but “was not a drug addict”.
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