Fund launched to help bury Wigan man alongside his dad

The grieving family of a troubled Wigan man who died after a long battle with alcoholism have paid tribute to him and set up a fund-raiser to help cover funeral costs.
Jason Callaghan pictured with his nephew FrankJason Callaghan pictured with his nephew Frank
Jason Callaghan pictured with his nephew Frank

Jason Callaghan, known to many people as Jay, died at the age of just 42 last week in circumstances which are still not yet entirely clear.

However, his family spoke of Ashton resident Jay’s years of attempts to fight the demon drink and his various stays in rehab and hospital as he tried to stay on the wagon.

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His sister Jen Fewins is also attempting to raise enough money to put Jay's remains with those of his dad, who died when he was very young, in Bootle Crematorium in Liverpool.

So far more than £2,000 has been donated and his family spoke of their gratitude and people’s kindness, with lots of old friends and acquaintances placing tributes online or sharing their memories with his relatives.

Jen, 35, said: “He was a lovely boy and man but in later years things spiralled for him.

“Alcohol was his addiction and that really does destroy families. It’s very difficult to understand if you haven’t been through that experience.

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“My mum is completely devastated. She feels she could have done more but she could not. She did everything she could for her son.

“No-one should have to bury their own son, that’s not how it’s supposed to be.

“We are all feeling that we’ve let him down. It’s just tough and really heart-breaking.

“I’m just trying to raise as much money as I can to see if we can lay Jay to rest with his dad. My mind has been blown by the amount of support so far, it’s fantastic.

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“We’ve had donations and messages from family and friends, people who used to go to school with him, complete strangers.

“One girl said she was his partner in crime and another messaged about the boxing matches they had as lads. It’s really nice to read stuff like that.

“That’s all we have now, trying to remember the good times. He’s gone too soon and we all miss him and wish his life had turned out differently.

“At least he’s not in pain any more. He’s now resting and is finally with his dad after all these years.”

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Jay attended St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School in Ashton and was a skilled martial artist as a teenager, particularly excelling in judo.

However, throughout his 20s and 30s he battled severe problems with his mental health and wellbeing and the bottle.

He went into rehab venues in the North West on a couple of occasions and had only been home from his latest placement in Oldham for a few weeks before his death.

His first stint in rehab was a success and he began studying again and talking about making a career in health and social work,

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However, things went downhill again in the later part of his life and he was also admitted to hospital on several occasions, including once when he suffered a bleed on the brain.

Jen says the family have inevitably been left with questions about how much health organisations were able to do for him.

She said: “We feel a bit angry and upset and wonder if he was let down by the system. Ultimately it was our Jay’s battle with his own mental health, but we wonder whether it was possible to help him more.

“It was very tough for us watching, hearing and seeing him, because we couldn’t do anything. My mum fought for him so much.”

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Tests are still taking place to determine the exact cause of Jay’s death.

He leaves behind his mum and stepdad Susan and Cliff Stephenson and his sister Jen.

To donate to the fund-raiser, visit www.gofundme.com/f/for-our-jay

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