A heartbroken Ayrshire man has told how alcohol took his younger brother’s life after his struggle became an ‘impossible situation’.
Tributes have been paid to Frederick 'George' Jenkins known as George after the tragic dad’s death from alcoholism at the age of 31.
Older brother Thomas says his younger sibling was a ‘very kind’ person who struggled to look after himself.
George from Troon lost his battle with the disease after falling into a coma caused by liver failure on Wednesday, January 5 and he died just days later on Friday, January 7.
The dad-of-one was a ‘proud’ father to his little girl and uncle to Thomas’ sons Alex, 9 and Charlie, 6.
Thomas, 34, is urging anyone who thinks their loved one has a problem to get help as soon as possible before it’s too late.
George, a former professional gardener started drinking daily when he was in his teens and by the time he was 25 his liver was already failing.
Thomas told how he struggled after the death of his father Tommy Jenkins who died aged 59 in 2003.
The brothers then lost their mum Ann Jenkins, 65, to cancer in 2017 who was looked after by George.
Medics tried to save George's life when he was rushed into hospital after collapsing in the street near his home in Ayr earlier this month after he became confused and disorientated due to high levels of toxins in his body.
But sadly just two days later it became clear there was nothing more that could be done.
Thomas who was by his brother's bedside has told how he feared his brother would die but did not expect it to happen to him at such a young age.
He told Ayrshire Live: “I never expected to be planning my brother's funeral when he was 31.
“We knew this day would come, we just never expected it to happen when he was so young, that came as a shock.
"We always tried to support him as best as we can.
“He was a very kind guy, he loved to help other people. He was really proud to be a dad and have some time with his daughter.
“It was helping himself that he really struggled with.
“He was on loads of medication, the alcohol had caused many health problems such as diabetes, Addison's disease and pancreas problems.
“He really struggled to manage those.
“He had a lot of people who cared for him and they all did their best to try and support him.”
Thomas believes George was a ‘troubled soul’ from when they lost their dad and he used alcohol as his ‘crutch’.
Thomas said: “He struggled with alcohol his whole life from when he was a young teenager.
“He never knew when to stop, as a teenager he drank everyday from when he was about 16
“Our dad Tommy passed away when we were quite young, it was quite traumatic for us.
“He never really recovered from that, and he cared for our mother Ann whilst she had cancer.
“He has relied on alcohol as a crutch really most of his life. It's just caught up with him.
“He left school at the end of fourth year, and began his own gardening business which he ran for several years but by the time he was 25 he had really severe liver issues.
“It has been very difficult for me to watch as the disease drained his life away.
“It certainly wasn’t a good experience to sit at his bedside and see him like that in the past few days.
“Alcohol took away the person that he was when we were young teenagers, you could see that slowly disappearing over the years.
“It just changed him, it got to a point you wouldn’t really recognise him anymore.
“It certainly became an impossible situation for us. Everything we could do for him had been done, we had exhausted all options."
Since George’s death Thomas has been overwhelmed by kind tributes paid to his brother.
Thomas still stays in the same house where they both grew up and has told how gutted friends and neighbours have rallied round to support him and his family.
Thomas added: “When I announced George’s death on social media the response I got was quite touching and overwhelming.
“It shows my brother was well loved and made some good friends.
“All the neighbours here are the same neighbours who knew him when he was growing up.
“We’ve had cards through the door, friends who we used to hang out with when we were around nine have sent a card.
“They remember those times.”
Thomas hopes that George’s death will raise awareness of alcoholism.
He added: “It is so important if you are worried about anyone to get help early, the earlier you intervene the more chance there is of saving them.
“The gradual damage that it does to a person's health builds up over time.
“The longer it goes the harder it is for an individual to give it up.”
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