A tragic mistake turned fatal for 21-year-old Denis Preka, an Albanian-American student at the University of Michigan, when he unknowingly ingested a lethal dose of MDMA (Molly) instead of Adderall in March 2019. Five years later, his family has been awarded $75 million in a wrongful death lawsuit.

The heart-wrenching incident gained further notoriety when Denis’ so-called friends recorded his distress and shared the videos on social media, thinking he was merely “tripping.” Denis’ mother, Linda Thom, expressed her anguish, describing him as “the most amazing child that any mother could desire.”

Despite Denis’ severe reaction, his friends delayed calling 911, only doing so when it was too late. The horrifying footage showed not just Denis’ suffering, but the cruel treatment he endured, with water thrown in his face as he was mocked.

Now, Denis’ family is focusing on his life rather than his untimely death. They have established the Denis Preka Foundation, aiming to create “friendship benches” on college campuses throughout Michigan, encouraging genuine connections beyond social media.