THE parents of a young man who committed suicide because he was unable to cope with his drug addiction have issued a warning to parents that their child could be next.
Matthew and Theresa Lacey, from Tralee, Co Kerry, warned parents that drugs were freely available. They said they hoped their son's death might at least save others from travelling down the same harrowing path of addiction.
Speaking after burying their eldest son, Matthew, they said their lives and that of their son, a promising young footballer, had been made hell by drugs.
Matthew (26) committed suicide in Tralee town park on December 17th. Prior to taking his life the young man called his uncle Jimmy and asked him to pass on a message to his parents.
"He said: Tell Mam and Dad that I love them, that I love my Nan Lacey, I love my aunt and all my uncles. Tell them that I am sorry for what I have done to the Lacey name. I will be in heaven in half an hour's time," Matthew's father said.
His mother, Theresa, added. "We just hope that other parents will watch their children and watch for the signs of drugs. People say that there is no problem with drugs in Tralee and Kerry, but people should know that this place is awash with drugs. We gave him a fine upbringing, but the drugs destroyed him.
"He used to play football at corner forward and they used to call him `Maradona' Lacey. He was dabbling in drugs here in his late teens and then he went to England.
Mr Lacey continued. "He used every kind of drug there and when he came back he was like a skeleton. I thought I would be burying him in a matter of days that time.
"We nursed him back to health. He got treatment everywhere but he still went back on the drugs. I didn't ever want to bury any of my children but at least now he is at peace.
"I just hope that his death will be a lesson to other parents.
"It doesn't matter what kind old an upbringing you give your children. We gave Matthew a normal Catholic upbringing, but you arc either lucky or unlucky in this life and we were unlucky.
"I just hope other parents car learn something from this because my son was a fabulous boy, but the drugs just got him.