Brenda Edwards previously opened up over her continued grief following the death of her son Jamal. The music producer died in February 2022.
The Loose Women presenter launched a campaign alongside the British Heart Foundation, after her son died of a heart attack as a result of taking recreational drugs.
In early 2023, she revealed her grief over her son’s death continued to haunt her – and she believed it always will.
Brenda Edwards grief death of sun Jamal
“It’s not anger, it’s more the question of why. I wish I knew why, ” she told The Sun’s Fabulous last year. She also said her parents died 48 years ago and “I’m still not over that”.
Brenda continued: “I still cry every single Christmas and so losing Jamal is definitely not going to disappear. But I have to try to learn to live with it. Somehow.”
The singer and presenter became the face of a campaign alongside the British Heart Foundation and Virgin Media O2. The initiative sees defibrillators put in every O2 store in the UK, all staff trained in CPR and customers encouraged to be involved in online CPR training provided by the BHF.
“It’s a real honour to be a part of this because it’s so important,” Brenda said. She added: “Jamal was always about helping people and so that’s why it’s very important for me to do that, too.
“I know that he would have been jumping all over this campaign.”
Jamal Edwards’ death
Brenda’s son Jamal died on February 20, 2022 following a DJ gig. A coroner confirmed in August 2022 that he died of a cardiac arrest following a late-night alcohol and cocaine session.
Jamal’s friend, Nick Hopper, lived in an annex at Jamal’s home and detailed his final moments to the court.
In a statement read to the inquest by the coroner, he said: “When he came in he appeared to be his normal self and it appeared that he had just been out.
“We began to chat, smoke some weed and drink. He told me he was under a lot of pressure. There were periods of talking followed by silences.
“Over time Jamal became quite paranoid and was saying I had things in my hands when I didn’t. Anytime I moved he began panicking. I told him to calm down, but he became increasingly irate.”
Hopper said that Jamal eventually collapsed unconscious by the bathroom door.
Despite the best efforts of Hopper and later his uncle, Rodney Artman, as well as paramedics, Jamal did not wake up and was declared dead at 10.36am on Sunday February 20.
Toxicology tests found cocaine and alcohol in his system, but no cannabis.
Heartbroken Brenda also had a statement that was read out in court. She said: “Jamal was a beautiful and selfless person. Since growing up with his family in Acton he made it his personal mission to open doors for others to walk through.
“To help people through life, to love and to laugh. And most importantly, to just make people happy
“Jamal helped so many, working tirelessly to give a platform to people.
“His charitable work stretched near and far, from working at homeless shelters to giving back to his roots in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
“We are so proud of everything Jamal achieved over the course of his 31 years and how he impacted others’ lives. We miss him so much.”
Read more: Brenda Edwards explains eye patch on Loose Women after contracting infection
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