Readers’ kindness eases family pain
ON TUESDAY, Carmel McKillop didn’t know how she would cope with the battle ahead as her son recovered from a serious cycling accident.
Today, the burden has been lightened by the kindness of Chronicle readers offering help.
Mrs McKillop’s 21-year-old son, Jeremy, suffered broken bones all over his body after a collision with a truck six weeks ago, and he has been unable to rise from his hospital bed since the accident.
His story and the struggle he would face returning to his high-set home was detailed on the front page of yesterday’s Chronicle.
Readers responded to the story, and Mrs McKillop said by early afternoon, a builder was already at their home investigating what he could do to help.
“We’ve had one guy already call up and head around to our house to see what he could do,” she said.
“A tiling place he spoke to said they’ll donate tiles … he’s seeing if they’ll work.
“The builder is having a hunt around to find if there’s someone who can level the house. I was speaking to people who could only do it in two to three months.
“Another lady called up and offered a chairlift for Jeremy to get up the stairs.
“I’ve had an offer for a massage for Jeremy and myself once he’s out of hospital.”
Mrs McKillop said she had been absolutely touched by the response to the story.
“It’s a relief to know there’s someone out there who cares.
“Even the friends he had who didn’t know about the accident, they’re sending him text messages seeing how he is.
“We can get through this, we will get through this.”