Jakub Jarzecki, 21, went for a drink after finishing work with work colleagues but died the next day, with hospital tests later finding he had ecstasy in his system
A young man who went for a drink with friends started “speaking a strange language” and died the next day after taking ecstasy, an inquest heard.
Jakub Jarzecki, originally from Italy, had just finished a night shift on May 1 when he and several other coworkers, including his brother-in-law Mateusz, went for a few drinks as a colleague had been suspended. The group went to a home where, after having one drink, Mateusz left but received a distressing call around 8am saying Jakub was in trouble, an inquest heard.
Paramedics were called at 9.32am and found Jakub had a dangerously high heart rate of 150 beats per minute, along with elevated temperature and respiratory rate, reports Manchester Evening News. During the rush to Royal Blackburn Hospital, Jakub experienced seizures and tragically went into cardiac arrest just before reaching A&E. He died half an hour later.
Toxicology tests showed Jakub had fatal levels of MDMA in his system. Klaudia, Jakub’s grieving sister, shared: “It’s been the hardest time of our lives trying to cope with what’s happened.”
Katarzyna, a work friend of Jakub’s, at whose house he had collapsed, said: “Jakub was a cheerful person who I could joke with but who I could also talk to about serious things. At 7pm I started work and one man was suspended from work and sent home.
“We said we should all meet and have a drink as he might not come back to work. After work we went to my house in Nelson. Something was happening to Jakub. His eyes were open and he was speaking in a strange language. We didn’t know who he was talking to. He was behaving strangely.”
In a heart-wrenching statement, Mateusz, added: “I think they were all taking drugs as I can’t think why they wouldn’t call an ambulance sooner. I just don’t understand why they didn’t call an ambulance.”
Assistant Coroner Sian Jones concluded drug involvement, saying: “When his brother-in-law arrived, even to a lay person it was clear it wasn’t a case of someone who was drunk. He was incoherent and talking in a strange language. The person whose phone he used was still reluctant to call an ambulance and one has to wonder why that was.
“The reluctance to call an ambulance suggests to me that at least some of those present were aware something has been taken and were worried, maybe due to their employment.”
Jakub’s colleague Ryan Holt initiated a GoFundMe campaign in his memory, surpassing the £2,000 mark for a funeral, mentioning: “Our colleague Jakub sadly passed away on May 2. He started with the company in February 2022 and in that time he has spent time working as part of the night dairy team and the night freezer team and built relationships right across the warehouse.”
