Jake Evans, a 30-year-old father of two from Cwmbran, died at The Grange Hospital from multi-organ failure and pneumonia on July 26, the day after his birthday. His sister, Becky Hunt, has spoken of the devastating impact of alcohol dependency, which began after the deaths of both their parents within a six-month period.
Grief triggered heavy drinking
Their mother, Tracy Chere, died at 56 in 2024, just six months after a cancer diagnosis in February 2024. Their father had died in late 2023. Becky said Jake had previously enjoyed social drinking at weekends, like many people in their twenties, but had never been a problem drinker before that "horrific loss". Rather than confronting his emotions, he attempted to suppress them through alcohol, and his consumption soon spiralled beyond his control.
At his lowest point, Jake was consuming 20 cans of lager daily. Becky emphasised he was never aggressive or harmful when intoxicated, but silently caused irreparable damage to his liver. "He drank lager every day and always had a can in his hand to numb the pain from the moment he woke up," she said. "He never hurt or damaged a fly. He was the loveliest, warmest person and would do anything for anyone but I tried to get him to stop drinking and he said he couldn't."
Health deteriorated rapidly
Within a brief timeframe, Jake developed liver damage and muscle deterioration due to lack of physical activity and inadequate nutrition. His caloric intake came predominantly from lager. The father-of-two struggled to walk properly and relied on a mobility scooter despite being just 28 years old.
This excessive drinking continued for a year until Jake became so severely unwell he was admitted to The Grange Hospital suffering from jaundice and liver failure. Medical staff cautioned him that continuing to drink could prove fatal. "That stint in hospital put the fear of God into him. That worried him as his liver was not good, but he had his young age on his side so he stopped drinking," Becky said.
Relapse after assault
Jake, whose children are aged eight and nine, remained abstinent for 10 months and started rebuilding his life. He received support from drug and alcohol services and acknowledged he'd been using alcohol to suppress past trauma. "He was engaging with services and was sober and doing really well. He was living in a clean flat and the mobility he had lost through making himself ill with drink, was coming back," Becky explained.
This progress collapsed when Jake suffered a severe assault in December 2025 that required hospital treatment. Becky believes this renewed trauma triggered his return to heavy drinking. Jake subsequently provided a statement to police, though no charges were pursued. Now following his death, she worries her brother will never receive justice.
Final days and family's plea
Returning to excessive drinking, Jake inflicted fatal harm on his already compromised liver. "I visited him every day in hospital. He was alert for a while but 48-hours before he died doctors sat us down. He was on oxygen, He had pneumonia and kidney and liver failure. There was nothing they could do so they stopped all treatment and kept him comfortable and he died at 3am the day after he was 30," Becky said.
Becky is currently fundraising for Jake's funeral while hoping his tragic story will highlight the dangers of alcohol dependency. "His story is heartbreaking. Jake began drinking heavily after losing both of our parents within a six-month period. Despite everything he had been through, he managed to achieve 10 months of sobriety. Tragically, after being seriously attacked, he relapsed, and his health rapidly deteriorated. Alcohol addiction ultimately took his life, leaving behind two young children," she said.
She added: "As a family, we're trying to give Jake the funeral he deserves while also raising enough money to leave something behind for his children. More importantly, we want to share his story to raise awareness of how devastating alcohol addiction can be, and how grief, trauma and relapse can have such tragic consequences."
Jake leaves behind two children, a sister, a brother, and a family who loved him. His sudden death left the family unprepared for the financial burden of funeral expenses. Becky has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs and provide support for his children. Generous donors have so far contributed £1,835 towards the £2,000 target.
