Ballingry: Sister's tribute to little brother who died

Jake 'Jay' Jones was rushed to Victoria Hospital on Sunday, October 29 after he took unwell at a property in Kirkland Avenue but was sadly pronounced dead a short time later. 

Now, his sister Francesca Louise has paid tribute to her baby brother, saying she won't "ever be able to get over losing him."

She told the Times: "It’s been hard for us all to be honest, I can’t find the words. I always thought I’d be the one to go before him but it’s turned out a different way.  

"Jay had a heart of gold, he would help anyone out no matter what it would be, and he would be grateful if someone ever gave him help because we grew up in the care system so we never really had a good upbringing.  

"It took a lot for him to come out of his shell but he became confident as soon as he let his guard down. 

"He was bubbly and funny, he would tell little jokes, sometimes silly jokes that weren't even funny but you would still laugh because that’s his sense of humour."

Jay and Francesca grew up together in care until he was moved up to Scotland when he was 14. 

She continued: "He got moved to Scotland when he was 14 and it tore us both apart because we were inseparable.

"He was basically made to make his own life in Scotland and if social services didn’t move him away I don’t think he would be dead right now.  

"He was homesick, all he wanted to do was come back. He said ‘Oh I'll be back soon, I can’t wait until I'm back.’ 

"The first few months he was down, he wouldn’t communicate with his carer properly and he sounded like he wanted to come home, but he eventually came out of his shell and thought he’d make the most of it while he was there.

"That’s when he became mates with people, and that’s why he was so loved because he went out, made mates and found his own way."

Police are continuing to investigate Jay's death with the involvement of drugs being just one line of inquiry. 

"I hope the people who dealt the drugs and the people who influenced him, I hope they rot," said Francesca.

"They’ve caused us to lose a brother, a son, an uncle, a grandson, a nephew, a friend and a person. They’ve caused us to lose all of that.

"I want every parent, every auntie, uncle, sister, brother, niece, nephew, whoever you are, please just be more aware of what your kids are doing when they’re going out, what type of drugs they’re taking and what kind of people they’re hanging around with.  

"My brother had never taken a pill in his life, never taken a drug, never been near them and he’s been influenced to do it and it’s taken his life.  

"Me saying I'm devastated would be an understatement."

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Francesca and the rest of Jay's family are trying to take things day by day. 

Francesca added: "It’s not sunk in for me, the same with my family, I just don’t think I will ever be able to get over losing him.  

"It’s really hard, I'm sitting here waiting for a message every five minutes.

"I'm looking at my phone thinking is he going to message, is he going to ring and there's nothing. I don’t know what to do, it’s broken me losing him.  

"I just want him back, I just want my brother back."