Aspiring teacher will do drugs again despite overdosing and nearly dying at a music festival

After overdosing on five ecstasy tablets at a music festival, Tony Tieu is only alive today thanks to a team of medical specialists and six days of expensive treatment in intensive care costing taxpayers at least $30,000.

After overdosing on five ecstasy tablets at a music festival, Tony Tieu is only alive today thanks to a team of medical specialists and six days of expensive treatment in intensive care costing taxpayers at least $30,000.

But far from being deterred by the high price of his brush with death, Mr Tieu plans to take drugs again at the next festival he attends — just not so much.

“I kind of regret taking so many but I don’t want to be a poster boy for not taking drugs. People will always do them, it’s not for me to preach,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“I will go to a dance festival again when I’m better but I’ll be more measured next time.

“What I will say to people who go to dance festivals is be sensible, don’t take five caps like me, I usually take two … it was a spur of the moment thing, I got carried away.”

Tony Tieu, 21, almost died after he took five ecstasy tablets at a music festival on Australia Day. Picture: Liam Driver

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Mr Tieu was rushed to Westmead Hospital’s ICU after collapsing at the Hard Core Till I Die dance festival on Australia Day.

Doctors told the 21-year-old university student he “won’t be here tomorrow” as his body temperature soared to a potentially lethal 41.9 degrees.

He was unconscious for three days and woke up on a life support machine having after his stomach pumped.

Experts battled to save him from long-term brain and multiple organ failure as he drifted in and out of consciousness for six days in intensive care.

Despite Tieu’s near-death experience at the Hardcore Till I Die festival, he said he will do drugs again.

A medical team treating one of the revellers at the festival.

He was released on February 1 and has to wait to learn of any long-term damage to his heart and liver.

Experts believe Mr Tieu would be dead were it not for the state government funding increased frontline emergency workers at Australia Day weekend festivals and shoring up Westmead Hospital’s medical bypass team.

“Age is what saved him, he is lucky to be alive and survived the perfect storm of MDMA-related heat stroke — the lethal combination of a scorching day, dancing and drugs,” Westmead’s director of emergency Matthew Vukasovic said.

“If it wasn’t for the extra emergency staff working that weekend, he would have been as good as dead. No one survives 41 degrees without medical intervention. I hope he reconsiders what he takes.”

Health Minister Brad Hazzard revealed the cost of treating an overdose patient can reach up to $2000 a day. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society president Dr Stephen Warrillow said a minimum daily rate for care in an ICU bed is at least $5000 with specialist machinery and doctors adding thousands to the daily costs of care.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the total cost of treating a patient from the time they overdose at a music festival could be up to $20,000 a day.

“I would hope that any patient who has been close to death after taking illegal drugs, appreciates the personal toll that his or her actions caused to paramedics, doctors, nurses and the patient’s family and friends,” he said.

“Add to that the financial cost that taxpayers bear, which can be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars … illicit pills kill. And whether they do or they don’t, the cost is enormous.”

Mr Tieu said: “I know I’m lucky to be alive. I was as good as cooked.”

But the aspiring teacher believes shutting down festivals and deploying excessive police to man dance festivals doesn’t deter illicit drug taking.

Originally published as Aspiring teacher will do drugs again despite overdosing and nearly dying at a music festival