Music entrepreneur and YouTube star Jamal Edwards has died of an arrhythmia as a result of taking drugs for entertainment, his mother said.
Edwards, who helped start Dave and Ed Sheeran’s careers, died in February at the age of 31. Brenda Edwards, a singer and participant in the Loose Women panel, said in a statement Tuesday that she was in a state of “shock” after learning of his death.
“I learned with sadness that the reason for Jamal’s devastating passage was due to a cardiac arrhythmia,” she said. “[This was] caused by taking drugs for entertainment and I wanted to address everyone who loved, admired and respected my son.
“Ever since I heard the news, I’ve been in shock and I’m still trying to process it. But it’s so important to me that I turn to him, because no mother or loved one has had to go through what Jamal and I, Tanisha’s sister, have been through since he left. ”
The 53-year-old posted the statement on Twitter and Instagram after an investigation into her son’s death took place in the coroner’s court in West London.
Forensic doctor Catherine Wood said Jamal Edwards “came home late one night after work and became more agitated and suffered a cardiac arrest and is getting worse despite treatment.”
She said after the autopsy that she had “reasons to suspect that death is an unnatural death.”
Brenda Edwards said she was “incredibly moved” by the outpouring of love and support the family had received since Jamal’s death. “You are all helping us try to get through the unimaginable,” she said.
She described her son as having “a world at hand – a passion for life and inadvertently taken away too early”.
“Still, we have to come to terms with what happened, and Jamal is proof that this can happen to anyone.
Brenda Edwards: “I would do anything to get my son back.” Photo: Ken McKay / ITV / Rex / Shutterstock
“These types of substances are extremely unpredictable and we can only hope that this will encourage others to think wisely when faced with similar situations in the future. His passing showed that any bad decision on any occasion can have devastating consequences. “
She emphasized the importance of helping to “focus more talk” on the unpredictability of recreational drugs and their impact – “how only one bad reaction is needed to destroy lives”.
“I would do anything to get my son back, but it’s just not possible, so if I can help save a life, then we will achieve something,” she said.
The investigation revealed that Jamal Edwards died on February 20 after receiving a cardiac arrest at his mother’s home in Acton, West London. It was postponed to resume after eight weeks.
He gained fame after setting up the music platform SBTV in 2006, and is credited with helping launch a series of music performers in the UK to stardom. He was also an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, a charity run by the Prince of Wales, and in 2014 he was appointed an MBE for his music services.
Sign up for the First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am
His mother’s statement said: “I am so incredibly proud of everything he has achieved in his 31 years; I am so proud to call him my son. ”
Several of her Loose Women accomplices, including Jane Moore and Judy Love, left messages of support in response to the statement.
“It must have been so painful for you to write,” writes Nadia Savalha. “Very brave. I send love to you and your amazing children. It doesn’t change anything. [Jamal] achieved so much. He was a hell of a good man. “
Add Comment