TRIBUTES have been paid to a young Newport man with “a heart of gold” who died on Sunday after taking an ecstasy pill.

Drake Morgan-Baines died from a brain seizure and a cardiac arrest in the early hours of Sunday, November 5, after taking the tablet in a Bristol nightclub.

Speaking exclusively to the Argus, his mum, Sheleen Morgan, said police and hospital staff have told them it was the first time the 19-year-old had taken any sort of illegal drug.

She said: “Hospital staff told us it was high-potency MDMA and, because it was the first time he had taken any, it was too powerful for him.

“He got unlucky as his body couldn’t cope.”

Ms Morgan is now urging people not to take the chance and do not try any illegal drugs.

“One pill is enough to be in the same position we are in,” she said. “We have been left in total devastation.”

The 40-year-old said that Drake – known as “Drizzy” by his friends – had recently been promoted in his job as an IT analyst technician and that he was an “extremely loving, family man”.

She said: “He was always smiling – he had an infectious laugh and was so funny.

“He didn’t have a bad bone in his body.”

His grandfather Quentin Morgan said that Drake was a “clean living” boy who didn’t go out often as he preferred staying in and spending time with his family and girlfriend.

Drake’s dad, Roy Bains, said: “Drake had a short stay in earth, but he had a very happy life.

“He had all the love in the world and had a beautiful girlfriend with whom he had a special relationship.”

Drake’s girlfriend Megan Whitehead, who had been with him for a year and a half, said he had an “amazing” group of friends and would “do anything for anyone”.

“I was so close to him, everything was so natural with him,” the 18-year-old added.

Ms Morgan, from the Glan Llyn area of Newport, said that Drake used to drop off and pick up his 10-year-old sister, Mya-Jay, from dance school.

“He was a family man and had a heart of gold,” she continued. “He adored Meg – he wanted to marry her and they were talking about having children together.

“He idealized me, we were best friends.”

The mum said he was a Tottenham fan, like his father, and loved music, socialising and his car – a matte blue Audi A3.

Mr Bains said: “I bought him tickets to go see Tottenham for Christmas. We have decided we are still going to go in his memory.”

Ms Morgan said that, last night, more than 100 people turned up outside their house to set off fireworks to pay tribute to him.

A Justgiving page set up by a family friend to pay for the cost of Drake’s funeral has already raised more than £3,700 since it was set up on Monday evening at 7pm.

Ms Morgan said it was “humbling” and “comforting” to see how much the page has raised.

“We knew he was a very special boy – but this confirms that everybody else knew that as well,” she said.

The mum-of-two said that several fundraisers are going ahead for the funeral – including from Sammy’s Barbers, in Corporation Road, who are providing £2 from each haircut.

The hashtag #itsDrizzy is being used across social media to pay tribute to him. Visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/drakemorganbaines