The grieving parents of a young man who died after a single sip of poisoned limoncello on an Italian holiday have spoken out in an agonising warning to other travellers.
Leo de Vries, a fit and healthy 20-year-old from the UK, collapsed just moments after tasting the homemade lemon liqueur offered to him at a family-run restaurant in Ischia during a dream holiday in June 2022.
His parents, Penny and Mark, have now bravely shared their harrowing story, describing the swift and devastating turn of events that turned their family vacation into an unimaginable nightmare.
A Dream Holiday Turns to Tragedy
What began as an idyllic trip to the picturesque island of Ischia, located in the Bay of Naples, ended in catastrophe. The family had been enjoying a meal when the restaurant owner offered them a complimentary glass of his homemade limoncello.
"Leo took one sip, said it tasted strong and of chemicals, and within minutes he was unconscious," his mother Penny recounted. The family's celebrations instantly turned to panic as Leo began foaming at the mouth and suffering violent convulsions.
A Frantic Fight for Life
Despite desperate efforts from his father, a doctor, and swift medical attention on the island, Leo could not be saved. He was airlifted to a Naples hospital but was declared brain dead and passed away four days later.
Italian authorities launched an immediate investigation, revealing the horrifying cause: the limoncello was not merely spoiled but had been deliberately laced with a lethal concentration of methanol—a toxic industrial alcohol.
A Warning to All Travellers
Now, Leo’s heartbroken parents are channelling their grief into a vital mission to prevent similar tragedies. They are urging holidaymakers to exercise extreme caution with homemade spirits and unregulated alcohol.
"We don't want any other family to go through this hell," they stated. Their story serves as a chilling reminder of the potential dangers that can lie in seemingly generous and innocent offers abroad.
