GRIEVING CALGARY MOM HOPES SON'S OVERDOSE DEATH WILL HELP END DRUG 'EPIDEMIC'

The grieving mother of a SAIT student who died of a suspected drug
overdose hopes if there's any good to come out of his death, it's the
ending of a deadly "epidemic."

Cody Gorlick, 23, a welding student, died Saturday morning in his
Tower Residence room on campus in what police are probing as a drug overdose.

Police said unknown powder and capsules were seized at the scene and
samples have been sent to the crime lab and medical examiner's office
for testing.

It's not yet known if the drug was ecstasy or a tainted form of the
party drug that has been linked to at least five deaths in recent months.

But his distraught mother Deborah Gorlick, whose only child loved
hockey and had played with the Team Canada Polar Bears, hopes if drugs
are found to blame, police will do something to stop the deadly trend
from continuing.

"He had hopes and dreams - if it was drugs, I hope cops will do
something about this and get to the bottom of this," she said crying.

"It's an epidemic right now - this needs to stop."

Originally from Strathmore, Gorlick had just began his studies at SAIT
in September and had a bright future ahead, with plans to someday
start his own business.

"He was starting his life, this was supposed to be a start," she said.

"I moved my son to have a future and he ended up dying here.

"It's really sad because he was a good kid - he never got to get
married or travel."

She believes her son was coerced into doing something he didn't want
to do and became a "victim of circumstance."

He had gone to the bar where his girlfriend works Friday night, and
went home not feeling well.

"He died in her arms," she said.

Friend Jenna Swan, 19, said she will remember Gorlick as the kind of
guy who could cheer up anybody.

"He was a wonderful friend who went out of his way to make sure we
were always happy," she said.

SAIT spokeswoman Heidi Sparks said the institute is "shocked and
deeply saddened" by the tragic news and is offering counselling to
staff and students.

Meanwhile, Nanton RCMP are investigating a possible ecstasy overdose
that proved deadly for a 23-year-old High River man.

The man died in hospital Sunday, an hour after being rushed from a
home in Nanton about 2:30 p.m.

Sources said police suspect the man took MDMA though there has been no
official confirmation.