A MOTHER who lost her two eldest sons in tragic circumstances has to deal with another great heartbreak with the death of their younger brother.
Christine Kavanagh, from Gurranabraher on the northside of Cork city, has endured tremendous heartache in her 65 years on this earth.
In 2016 her 31-year-old son Ross, who was a father of two with epilepsy, collapsed and died.
Five years later her 31-year old son Leon succumbed to drug addiction.
Now her son Damien, 36, has passed away in Wales.
He moved to Cardiff in 2019 to escape the drugs scene in his native city.
Christine told the Neil Prendeville Show on Cork’s RedFM that her heart is “broken”.
She said “I don’t think I can take any more. Our hearts are crushed. Our world has ended.
“He got clean and had everything going for him. He got a beautiful apartment.
“I was on to him Christmas and I said ‘Damien, I got Botox done.’ And he said ‘Mam, you are 65.’ And he was laughing. I told him I was going to come over to him when I had my lips done and he started skitting laughing.
“He always said ‘Mam you are the strongest woman.’ Little did I know yesterday that I was going to get a phone call (about Damien).”
Christine said that Damien had gotten clean from heroin and methadone and had turned his life around.
‘I HOPE HE DIDN’T SUFFER’
She said: “He was flying over there. We don’t know what the outcome of it is (the cause of death). But he had epilepsy as well.
“Damien done so well in Wales. I hope he didn’t suffer.”
Christine says she has now lost her “three eldest boys”, her first three children.
She said “I said last night ‘why me?’ He has two beautiful children who are 18 and 14. He is a vision. All my boys are beautiful. He is a walking vision. And I just have to remember his lovely smile. We probably won’t be able to open the coffin. I just want to get him home.”
‘I JUST WANT TO GET HIM HOME’
Christine became emotional on air when broadcaster Neil Prendeville told her that the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust would arrange for the repatriation of her son back to Cork.
She appreciates all the support she had received from the people of Cork following the passing of her beloved boys.
She said: “I would like to thank everyone who came to us and for all the texts. I just want to get him home. I can’t thank ye enough. I appreciate everything ye are doing.”
Colin Bell, whose son Kevin died in New York in 2013, told the show that he was very sorry to hear of Christine’s loss.
FUNDRAISING PLEA
He said: “We will get her son home. That is what we are here for. At the moment we have seven or eight ongoing repatriations from all parts of the world.
“When Kevin was killed the town of Newry raised over £150,000 to bring him home. It didn’t cost that and we decided to use this money to help other families and it has grown and grown. We survive on fundraisers.”
The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust has arranged for the repatriation of 2,035 people to Ireland in less than 12 years.
Donations can be made at https://kbrtrust.com/donations/.
Damien Kavanagh has passed away in Wales[/caption]
