Dalbeattie man who was spiked and 'lost over a litre of blood' raising awareness for locals
Warning: This article contains graphic images which some may find discomforting
Last updated 24th Mar 2023
WARNING: The pictures included in this article contain graphic images with blood.
A Dumfries & Galloway man is raising awareness about the risk of being spiked when out drinking after his family were told ‘he might not make it’ when rushed to hospital.
Mark Whalen from Dalbeattie was out in Dumfries town centre on Sunday 26 February for a few drinks with a friend.
He said: “I was out watching the old firm derby with my friend, and we were only having a couple of pints each and taking it easy since we were both working on Monday morning.
“We were on the bus home when I started to feel ill and was falling asleep which is not like me.”
Shortly after Mark got home, he started throwing up blood in his bathroom and woke his father up with the noise. He was immediately rushed to hospital in Dumfries and says the staff eventually told him he’d been spiked.
However, only after he was resuscitated twice and lost 1.5 litres of blood.
The 30-year-old father of one later posted images and videos of the aftermath in the bathroom, with the hopes of showing people how it can happen to anyone.
He tells Greatest Hits Radio: “I woke up getting resuscitated with doctors all around me, and that’s when my family got called into the hospital with the staff telling them to get here as soon as possible as they ‘don’t know if your son is going to make it or not.’
“It’s just been a rollercoaster. I wasn’t sure about putting it on Facebook as I felt quite embarrassed that this had happened to me. But I just want to raise awareness and highlight the point that although this normally happens to women it can also happen to men as well.
“If anybody has kids who are coming of age they’ll obviously be wanting to go for a drink as it will be the first time and it could have been them.
“I want everyone to make sure that they watch what they are doing, and I don’t want this to happened to anybody else because it feels like it’s destroyed me inside and I’ve mentally struggled to get back to normal and broke down to my mum on several occasions.
“I just think it’s disgusting that someone can do this. I feel lucky to be alive. The NHS staff did a brilliant job with me and I just want to raise awareness for as many people as possible.”
Having only returned to work for the first time on Monday, Mark is still coming to terms with what happened to him.
His Facebook post has been watched by thousands and he wants to use the opportunity to help others remain more alert when out having a drink no matter how much.
Mark’s experience has also prompted bosses at a local anti-spiking charity to speak out.
Founder of Spike Aware UK Colin Mackie told Greatest Hits Radio: “It’s good to always be aware of what is going on around you, and if you think if someone’s been near your drink or you’ve gone to the toilet or seen someone near the table you’re sitting at, play it safe and ditch the drink. Don’t just think you’re imagining it.
“If you see someone tampering with someone else’s drink, stop them from drinking it and say I think someone has put something in that.
“Hopefully these incidents stop then. If these people think everyone is watching them then they are less likely to do it.”