Harrowing warning of mum after son, 17, died from Tramadol overdose
A devastated mother whose teenage son lost his life to drugs is touring schools to warn kids about the dangers of substance abuse.
William Horley, 17, died last year after overdosing on the painkiller Tramadol.
He fell unconscious and was rushed to hospital, but could not be revived, KentLive reported.
Now William's mum, Kim Webster, 48, is trying to warn others and paint a picture of how difficult her life has been since he died, telling her story to teens in schools across Kent.
She said: "They are really shocked when I tell them what I've had to do in that time.
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"No-one realises how much you have to do when someone dies.
"I ask them to think of their own mums, putting them in that position, saying 'this is what your choice could lead to.'"
Kim tells school kids about the horror of identifying her son's body and how she had to decide between burying or cremating the child she gave birth to – as well as dealing with the police, coroner and the media.
When a group of young people dabbles with drugs, Kim notes that there can be a reluctance to call the emergency services through fear of getting into trouble themselves.
However she is keen to hammer home the message that doing so can save lives.
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Kim said: "Will didn't want it to happen, it was just a naive moment of stupidity. I'm trying to tell them they're not invincible, it can happen to anyone.
"I completely understand that you don't really listen to your parents growing up, you think you're old enough and that you're going to make your own choices.
"If someone passed you something in a bag, you wouldn't want to eat it, but once they have it in their mind that they want to try it, there's no going back.
"Is it really worth that 15-minute buzz to make the wrong choice?"
Will, a 6ft 6in fitness fanatic, had dreamed of joining the Army prior to his death.
Kim added: "One head teacher told me I have Will's life to lead – they said 'he was being trained to save lives and you've got to carry on saving lives'. That blew me away."
Rehabilitation charity the Kenward Trust is working with local stakeholders to improve education about the dangers of drugs.
The campaign – dubbed 'Think Differently' – involves visits to schools to engage with young people, raising awareness of the issues and potential consequences of substance misuse.
The family of Owen Kinghorn, a 15-year-old promising footballer who died after taking a drug for the first time, have also thrown their weight behind the campaign and have already raised more than £3,000.
The charity is already operating in 75 schools across Kent, but hopes to expand its network to include all 203 schools and colleges across the county.
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