Russell Peberdy, who was from Hereford and managed Narborough Fisheries near Norfolk, died in September at the age of 34.
An inquest into his death opened this week and heard he had died in the manager’s cabin at the fishing and camping hot spot as a result of a combination of drug toxicities.
Following his death, his father Ian Peberdy gave a stark warning about the long term impact recreational drugs can have during formative years.
He said: “Russell, to the outside world, was a warm, likeable and helpful person.
“Nobody can fully understand the torment he must have been going through but despite this, the shock of his unexpected death will sadden many hearts for a long time to come.”
Mr Peberdy said his son first came into contact with drugs as a teenager when he would recreationally smoke cannabis with friends,
But in his later life, he would go on to struggle with other substances and show signs of anxiety and depression, which his father said he initially self-medicated.
Mr Peberdy added: “After a short spell in rehab, we hoped Russell had turned the tide, but with greater and more concerning mental health issues, both the anxiety and periods of depression got worse.
“Cannabis is the catalyst into other, much stronger drugs, and which the addiction for these starts, it can be very difficult to get back to normal life.
“Despite this, and largely unknown to his family what was really going on, Russell was instrumental in helping to family set up, create and run the Narborough Fisheries.
“If there is one message that must come from this tragedy, is that teenagers today must not underestimate the long term damage these recreational substances can do, especially to a developing brain
“Although there are no early signs the medium-term outlook for some is very bleak.”
Who was Russell Peberdy?
Russell Peberdy was born in Hereford, where he grew up with his parents Ian and Linda and brother Chris, who was five years his senior.
Growing up, he loved playing outside with his friends and loved creating anything out of Lego.
He was a busy youngster who became a ‘Super Badger’ for St John’s Ambulance and painted armies of Warhammer figurines with his friends.
He inherited his love of fishing from his father and would spend many happy days fishing on the river Wye and attending fishing academies.
Nature became a significant part of his life and he developed a love for exotic animals and snakes.
He moved to Norfolk in November 2013 when his family bought the 20-acre Narborough Fisheries site, where he lived in the manager’s cabin alongside his beloved pet dog Dexter.
Mr Peberdy added: “The 20-acre site with five fishing lakes, an old trout farm and shop was a huge undertaking.
“Russell, with help from a number of employees over the years, looked after the site and brought it back up to a beautiful and well-kept standard.
“Russell would always put on a brave face and deal with the many customers that came through the fishery, particularly at weekends when over the last year or two he looked after the site on his own.
“This can clearly be seen from the many heartfelt comments on the Narborough Fisheries Facebook site after his death was reported.”