Jennifer ‘Jenn’ Porter died at just 33 – leaving her family devastated but determined to help others
Josie, right, has opened up about the death of her sister Jenn, left
The London-based sister of a nurse who passed away at just 33 has opened up about her family’s devastating grief. Jennifer “Jenn” Porter had served as a nurse during the UK’s coronavirus crisis and was dedicated to her job.
Her untimely death left her family bereft – yet sister Josie Porter reveals there were warning signs that went unnoticed at the time. She now hopes that by sharing her story, she can help others in similar situations.
Jenn spent years battling cocaine misuse and mental health struggles while maintaining a thriving career in healthcare. However, her family never regarded Jenn, from Southsea, Portsmouth, as an addict, believing she simply indulged in the occasional “bender”.
Josie, 32, later uncovered through Jenn’s diaries that she had become dependent on cocaine – and that it had wreaked havoc on her mental health. A heartbreaking letter further laid bare the harrowing reality of her addiction, reports the Mirror.
Josie, left, with sister Jenn(Image: SWNS)
Josie, a dietitian from east London, said: “It genuinely looked like things were improving. She’d bought a new phone, had deliveries on the way and concerts booked.
“That’s why it was such a shock – I just didn’t expect it. Looking back now, there were things I missed.
“She took her life in the moment – I know that – because even though she has tried to do it before, she has always regretted it.”
Jenn began using cocaine following the death of their grandfather in May 2015, who Josie said had been their ‘main person’ growing up. “When grandad died it hit Jenn really hard,” she said.
“Around the same time, she met someone who was selling cocaine and suddenly she had easy access to it.
“It was the perfect storm. She was grieving and she found something that helped her cope and made her feel better, even if only temporarily.”
Jenn was a nurse
Despite her worsening addiction, Jenn qualified as a nurse and went on to work in respiratory care, supporting patients throughout the Covid-19 pandemic while enduring punishing shifts and chronic staff shortages. Josie said: “She was incredibly dedicated to her work and would never go in when she had been on drugs. She worked nights, dealt with understaffing and carried a huge amount of responsibility.
“There is a lot of pressure in that work and I think the drugs become a cushion. She wasn’t the sort of person people imagine when they think of someone struggling with addiction.”
Behind closed doors, however, her mental health was deteriorating. In 2019, Jenn made a serious attempt on her own life.
While she received support from crisis teams and was prescribed antidepressants, she continued to battle depression, grief over her grandad, and addiction. The family disclosed that Jenn had a tendency to disappear for days at a time – yet they had failed to recognise this as a telltale sign of her addiction.
She said: “We’d go out as a group and she’d disappear for days at a time. It became a red flag, but we didn’t think she was addicted – we just were thinking she must like a bender. I never thought my sister would be an addict.”
Jennifer “Jenn” Porter(Image: Courtesy of Josie Porter© SWNS)
At the time, the family found it difficult to connect her behaviour with cocaine misuse, as Jenn did not fit their perception of what addiction looked like. She said: “When people think of addiction, they often picture someone who has lost everything – no job, no family. You don’t imagine a successful nurse with a career and a home.”
When Jenn took her own life in June 2025, it left the family utterly devastated – particularly as she had seemed to be in brighter spirits in the months prior to her death. She had been settling her debts, making plans for the future and booking forthcoming events.
Josie now believes that outward signs of improvement can sometimes mask deeper, ongoing struggles. She said: “Sometimes when people seem better, that’s actually when they need the most support.
“They convince themselves they’re okay, their guard goes down, and then they relapse and the cycle starts again.” The full extent of Jenn’s drug use was revealed to Josie through her sister’s letters.
She said: “I used to think of cocaine addiction as a physical thing, something you’d see in someone. I knew it affected you mentally but I didn’t realise how much it could actually does affect your brain.
“After Jenn died, we found letters and diary entries that showed how paranoid and suicidal she had become. It completely changed my understanding of what addiction can do to someone.”
‘Sometimes there are no signs’
Looking back on her ordeal, Josie believes families should stay alert to shifts in behaviour, unexplained disappearances, money troubles and deteriorating relationships. Nevertheless, she is equally keen to stress that addiction is not always straightforward to identify.
She said: “Sometimes there are no signs at all. The important thing is creating space for people to talk without judgment.
“People struggling with addiction often feel shame, guilt and helplessness. They need support, not criticism.”
Jenn’s family – including Josie, Jenn’s partner, her mother, father, sister, auntie, uncle, half-sister, and eight of Jenn’s friends – attended her inquest in June 2025. A verdict of suicide was recorded.
Josie hopes that by sharing Jenn’s story, it will help dismantle stereotypes surrounding addiction and spark broader conversations about substance misuse and mental health. She said: “Jenn was an incredible nurse who spent her life helping other people.
“We’ve lost someone truly special. If talking about what happened helps even one family recognise the signs or encourages one person to ask for help, then it’s worth telling her story. I would hate for someone to lose their Jenn.”
Samaritans (116 123 in UK and Ireland) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org