Isaac Babinsky's grieving family warns teens about deadly Xanax-alcohol mix

A Winnipeg familyis warning others about the dangers of prescription drug abuse after a teenager recentlyoverdosed and died from mixing Xanax and alcohol.

Isaac Babinsky,18, had been celebrating his upcoming graduation at a friend's house on June 18. The friends were hanging out and playing video games whenIsaacmade a deadly mistake.

"They were experimenting with Xanax and alcohol, and he wasn't much of a drinker," said Krista Derksen, Babinsky's older sister.

"From what we heard, he went to sleep and when they all woke up in the morning, he didn't wake up."

Xanax a brand name for alprazolam, a type of benzodiazepine is typically prescribed for anxiety and seizures. When taken with alcohol, Xanax can have a dangerous impact on the brain, slowing a person's ability to think and breathe.

Isaac's family believes his breathing slowed, then stopped, and the teenagerdied in his sleep.

• Manitoba family who lost son to prescription drug use says help is needed
• Prescription drug overdoses: 2 Winnipeg families speak out

"We found out on Facebook," said Nicole Babinsky, another sister.

"I got a phone call from my sister saying there's 'Rest in Peace Isaac' on Facebook. With that, we immediately called his phone."

The sisters figured it was a prank, another one of Isaac's mischievous ploys to get a rise out of them just before graduation. At worst, they thought maybehe was hurt.

The sisters called other family members and found out their little brother had died.

"I didn't believe it. It was the most horrible thing you could ever think," said Nicole.

Isaac's older brother, Jake, said he called his mother,heard her in tears and instantly dropped to his knees.

"It's a feeling that I wouldn't wish upon anybody," Jake said.

They want to bring awareness so others don't have to go through the same tragedy.

'A mistake turned tragic'

The toxicology report found a mixture ofXanaxand alcohol in Isaac's blood.

"It definitely was just a tragic mistake, an accident,"saidDerksen. "I don't ever think he knew that mixing prescription drugs with alcohol could have that effect."

After Isaac's death, the family started to look into howcommon prescription drug abuse is, especially after some of Isaac's friends told them many teenagers were taking them for fun.

"I had no idea how it was such a crisis. I didn't know how easily accessible it is,"NicoleBabinsky said.

Isaac's three sisters, all nurses, wish they'd talked to their brother about the dangers. Now the family wants to urge otherfamilies to educate themselvesand talk to their teens about whether they're taking prescription medications that haven't beenprescribed to them.

"We talked about marijuana, alcohol, unprotected sex, don't get into fights, don't drink and drive, don't do drugs and drive,"Nicole Babinskysaidof all the "older sibling" chats that they'dhad with Isaac.

"We never talked about this because we didn't think we had to talk about this,"saidDerksen.

When the sedative-like effects of the pills are combined withbinge drinking, kids lose track of how manypills they've eventaken, making it all the more dangerous, sheadded.

'We're losing kids'

Prescription drug abuse among teenagers is on the rise in Manitoba, according to the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba.

"We're losing kids to addictions at very young ages, but we're also losing kids to overdoses. And that can't happen," said Const. Andrea Cain, a school resource police officer in the Seven Oaks School Division.

"The danger is mixing drugsand having too much in your systemand possibly passing out."

Cain saidshe sees a lot of marijuana, alcohol and a wide spectrum of prescription drug abuse in the hundreds of kids she talks to at Winnipeg high schools. She saidXanax and Xanax bars longer pills divided into quarters are becoming increasingly popular among youth.

"It is readily available, unfortunately. Kids can order it over the internet, over their Instagram or theirFacebook. They can get it delivered to certain areas. It's very, very accessible," she said.

Manitoba's Office of the Chief Medical Examinerhas reported 38 deaths in the province over the past 10 years due to accidental overdose for people age16 to 20.Most of those deaths involved mixing drugs or mixingdrugs and alcohol.

"Benzodiazepines themselves, if they are overdosed alone, rarely cause significant toxicity," said Ashley Walus, aclinical resource pharmacist with the WinnipegRegionalHealth Authority.

"It's when they are overdosed in the context of other substances, alcohol of which is a big one, [that] you get problems."

She said signs of an overdose of Xanax and alcohol include blurred speech, loss of fine motor skills, control overbody movements and depressed mental state.

"Andthe biggest risk:it impacts your body's ability to breathe properly."

'He was robbed of so many good things'

IsaacBabinskywas thrilled about graduatingand it was all he had beentalking about, his family says.

He was supposed to be the first to cross the stage at West Kildonan Collegiate's convocation on June 20.But instead of reading his name, his principal called for a moment of silence in his honour.

His classmates eachcarried a rosefor himas they collected their own diplomas.

Isaacwas proud of his achievementsincluding scoring the second-highest mark on the provincial math exam and wasexcited for his future. Heworked,volunteered at theFire Fighters Museumin Winnipegandworked out.

He cherished his family andeven had"Family First" tattooed across his chest, and was a loving, hands-onuncle to the babies.

"He'll never get to have his own kids.He'll never get to get married.He'll never get to have that true love," said Mackenzie Simeonidis, another ofIsaac's sisters,tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I feel like he was robbed of so many good things in life that you wish for your youngest brother."

The familyhopes other parents and siblings educate themselves on theprescription drugs that are out there, and their dangers.

"It's not worth the risk. It's definitely not worth the risk. The pain you bring to not only friends, but to family, it's something you can't take back," said JakeBabinsky.

They hope other kids get the message, since their brother never will.

"We love him, we miss him, we would give anything to have him back," Nicole said, her voice breaking. "So don't do it. Don't do it to your family."