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Family's pain as Belfast mum (23) dies from alcohol addiction

Main picture, Loretta and Desi Nolan. Left, their daughter Emma. Main picture by Hugh Russell
Main picture, Loretta and Desi Nolan. Left, their daughter Emma. Main picture by Hugh Russell Main picture, Loretta and Desi Nolan. Left, their daughter Emma. Main picture by Hugh Russell

THE family of a young mother who died aged 23 from multi-organ failure have told of the heartache of watching their daughter's painful battle with alcohol addiction.

Emma Nolan, the mother of a five-year-old boy, was buried last Monday following Requiem Mass at Holy Trinity Church in west Belfast.

Her family told how she was once a "vibrant, happy-go-lucky girl" and promising sportswoman, playing Gaelic football for her local GAA club and school.

But within three years she became gripped by alcohol dependency and later drugs, which severely impacted on her health.

Emma's family tried desperately to get her help through repeated stints in rehab, both in Newry and across the border.

The extent of Emma's alcohol intake caused her liver to fail. She was admitted to hospital after collapsing in a fit at her home in Gransha.

Surrounded by her loving family, she died on July 20. She had suffered multi-organ failure.

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The youngest of four daughters, Emma's parents Loretta (57) and Desi Nolan (57) now look after her five-year-old son, James.

Mrs Nolan told of having to explain to her grandson that "God took mummy to heaven".

"He understands everything. He might be five but he's a very smart child. I explained to him the best we can. I said God took mummy to heaven. I think he understands in his own way," she said.

"But the next day he got quite angry. He went over to the coffin saying, 'You're sleeping far too long, why won't you open your eyes?'"

Mrs Nolan, who works as a catering manager, described the past few years as "very, very hard".

"My family isn't perfect, but we have never, ever been involved in drugs, alcohol, nothing like this," she said.

"My wee daughter Emma went through hell.

"It has been traumatic, and she went downhill so dramatically.

"She was in a lot of pain. She had ulcers on her stomach, her liver had already started to fail."

Loretta and Desi Nolan with a photo of their late daughter Emma 
Loretta and Desi Nolan with a photo of their late daughter Emma  Loretta and Desi Nolan with a photo of their late daughter Emma 

Mrs Nolan paid tribute to her daughter as a "very vibrant" and "happy-go-lucky, smiling wee girl".

"She just would have done anything for anybody before this. She was the best child ever," she said.

"She never brought any trouble, but when that drink took hold it was like Jekyll and Hyde. It was so hard to come to terms with."

Mrs Nolan said it was around three years ago when the family first noticed Emma's issues with alcohol.

"She was a normal 20-year-old, but then Emma started drinking during the day," she said.

"She was living at this stage with her partner and young James. He was coming home and finding her lying drunk.

"We took her to live with us, and that's when we saw how bad it was."

Mrs Nolan said Emma was being reported missing, and "found in a couple of shopping centres, in toilets, in parks, on benches, unconscious through alcohol".

Emma was admitted to Cuan Mhuire addiction treatment centre in Newry, and twice to Smarmore clinic in Ardee, Co Louth, but rehab proved unsuccessful.

"She came home, and we just lived with it, because we had tried everything at this stage," Mrs Nolan said.

She said that in recent months, Emma was not drinking as much, but instead was substituting it for over-the-counter medication, and later became introduced to "street drugs" such as Lyrica.

Between June 29 and July 9, the family including Emma enjoyed a holiday in Lanzarote.

Mrs Nolan said: "I'm just so thankful that we had that holiday, and she just loved it."

But later Emma's health deteriorated, and she was self-medicating to relieve "excruciating" pain.

Mrs Nolan said that on the evening of July 18, Emma arrived home and "she was still in so much pain".

She told her to go to bed, and got into bed beside her and they drifted off to sleep.

The following morning Mrs Nolan went downstairs to make a cup of tea, but suddenly "heard a thud" and went upstairs to find her daughter having a seizure.

Emma was taken into intensive care in hospital. Her family remained at her bedside, but she died on July 20.

Mrs Nolan said her daughter had suffered acute liver failure and other organs shut down.

She said the death was recorded as a "staggered overdose" of over-the-counter medication as a result of as "alcohol excess".

Emma would have turned 24 last Saturday.

Mrs Nolan fondly recalled Emma was a "great sportsperson" who played in underage teams for St Paul's GAA club and her school, Holy Trinity.

She also said that when Emma was sober, she had a "fantastic relationship" with James.

Emma's Requiem Mass was held last Monday at Holy Trinity Church, with burial afterwards in Hannahstown Cemetery.

Mrs Nolan urged young people to be aware of the dangers of alcohol and drugs.

"Addiction doesn't choose anybody, it doesn't care. It just comes upon a person, and that's it," she said.

She warned young people "be very, very careful what road they go down".

"I'm not saying for young kids not to enjoy themselves, but they don't need alcohol and drugs to do that – there's so much more to life," she said.

"Just be happy, but be safe. Live life to the fullest, but most importantly, be safe."

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