Reality television personality Holly Hagan has issued a somber warning to attendees of upcoming music festivals, recounting the fatal accidental drug overdose of her 19-year-old sister, Darci Rose Gibson.
Hagan shared her concerns on Instagram, expressing the fear that others might not return home from festivals, a sentiment amplified by the current timing of events like Reading and Leeds Festival, The Big Feastival, and Electric Picnic across the UK.
Darci Rose Gibson died in October in Manchester after consuming a fatal dose of crystal MDMA, which led to multi-organ failure. Hagan highlighted that an average of five people die annually at UK festivals, with the majority of these deaths linked to MDMA. "Nobody thinks it'll happen to them until it does," Hagan wrote, emphasizing the devastating impact on families.
She urged festival-goers to be careful, look after their friends, and avoid taking unnecessary risks, stating, "It's not worth the risk."
Hagan described her sister's passing as a traumatic experience for their family, recalling the final days spent with Darci. She also expressed gratitude to the paramedics and hospital staff who provided care.
In a poignant turn, Hagan revealed that her sister's organs were donated, saving the life of a stranger. She shared this on the podcast "We Need To Talk," explaining that the decision, while born from grief, provided solace for her family. The family learned three weeks later that Darci's heart had been successfully donated.
Hagan noted the peculiar synchronicity of Darci's tattoo, which read, "live where your heart finds life," a phrase that now holds profound meaning for her family. She insisted her sister was not reckless but a young person who made a "silly mistake."