The heartbroken brothers of a tragic Angus man are determined their sibling should not be falsely remembered as another sad statistic of Scotland’s drugs culture.
As they prepare to lay elder brother Ritchie to rest on Thursday, Nicoll and Graham Bell told The Courier it was important to them that Forfar folk knew heroin was not responsible for the 49-year-old’s death at a time when he finally seemed to be on the brink of turning around a life blighted by addiction.
Ritchie’s body was discovered in a town centre flat last month, some 36 hours after the death of his one-time girlfriend Lisa DeVeres.
The 31-year-old mum died of a suspected drugs overdose and Mr Bell’s death so soon after led to local speculation that he may also have fallen victim to substance abuse.
But while Mr Bell had endured long-standing drug and alcohol problems, his brothers said no trace of heroin was found in his body and a toxicology report due to be issued within weeks is predicted to point towards drink being a major contributory cause of death.
”Ritchie had his problems and it’s not that we didn’t know that. No one is trying to shy away from that and pretend that he did not,” said Nicoll (45).
”For 17 years he had difficulties on and off with heroin, but he was wanting to be clean by the time he was 50. He was dealing with his problems and dealing with them very well.
”He was looking well, he was eating well and he had even spoken about trying to get the drinking sorted.”
Nicoll added: ”The first thing I thought when he died was that (after Lisa’s death) he had gone and done something very stupid with drugs.
”I’m proud of him that he didn’t and it’s important to us that we set the record straight for him.”
He added: ”Yes he had his problems, but at the end of the day he had been clean since last February and I could tell that he was doing well when I saw him.
”I’ve listened to all the stories since he died but a lot of people don’t know that he wanted to do something to make sure he was clean by the time he was 50.
”We just don’t want to see him portrayed as he has been, just another junkie who has fallen victim to drugs.
”Ritchie had cleaned his act up and he should be given credit for that. He was popular and I loved him to the soles of my boots. He was more like a best mate than a brother.”
He and Ms DeVeres were previously in a relationship for around five years, but that had ended over a year ago as Ritchie embarked on the serious effort to turn his own life around.
The brothers said Ritchie was sticking to a methadone programme, traces of that drug and diazepam having also been found in his body at the time of his death.
Nicoll and Graham (47) spoke out after it was revealed that a special drop-in clinic set up to offer support and advice to the town’s drug-taking community last week was completely snubbed by addicts.
The Bells said that while it may not have been heroin which finally claimed their loved one’s life, they backed every effort to help drug users through their problems.
”We’ve seen what it does and would say to anyone in that position and living that kind of life that if they get the chance to get help then they should take it,” Nicoll said.
Mr Bell’s funeral is to take place at Parkgrove crematorium, Friockheim, on Thursday at 2.30pm.