‘Self less Dylan, 10, lives on after giving others the gift of life’
THE funeral Mass of a 10year-old boy who died after being struck by a van in Co. Clare heard how he will live on ‘through his selfless act of giving the gift of life’ by donating his organs to five different people.
Dylan Coady-Coleman died of his injuries on Wednesday at Temple Street children’s hospital in Dublin.
The collision involving a van and the young pedestrian had occurred at Purcell Park, Shannon shortly after 2pm the previous Sunday.
At the time Dylan was looking forward the birth of his new baby brother, who was born just two days later. Thankfully, the fourthclass pupil got to meet him shortly before he died.
Hundreds of mourners gathered at Mary Immaculate Church in Tullyglass in Shannon yesterday afternoon, wearing jerseys and odd socks, as requested by his parents, Laura and Garry.
Dylan’s friends from St Tola’s National school also formed a guard of honour as his white coffin, draped in a Liverpool flag,
‘He chose to donate his organs’
‘The tears in the eyes said it all’
was carried into the church.
Fr Tom Whelan told mourners that the young boy had chosen to donate his organs after a discussion of the topic in school.
‘One of the amazing little events which his family shared with me was a discussion in the classroom about organ donation and what it was and what it meant,’ Fr Whelan said.
‘When Dylan came home that day, that is what he talked about with his family at home. It really was at the top of his agenda that day. He said he would certainly want to be an organ donor and sadly nobody thought it would happen so, so quickly, but Dylan has now given life to quite a number of other people by his being a donor. This is extremely important to his family and they would certainly encourage everyone to be an organ donor.
‘Laura and Garry, you will forever have the most beautiful memories of Dylan, together with grandparents and family. Yours is the deepest sadness. We are all here for you and are thinking of you. You are in our hearts and in our minds,’ he added.
One mourner during the prayers of the faithful said Dylan will ‘live on through his selfless act of giving the gift of life by donating his organs to five different people following his death.’
Symbols representing his short life were brought to the altar, including football and rugby jerseys and a kickboxing shirt. Lego bricks, an Xbox, soft toys and binoculars for watching aeroplanes were also placed on the altar.
Dylan’s relative Claire recited a poem his sister Zoe wrote about him while he was in hospital.
‘Why we love Dylan: Because he helps when I am hurt, because he cares about us, how he takes care of Nana and Mum.
‘How he is super funny and how he helps Grandad in the garden, how he’s kind, how he reads me books and how he annoys Dad with his quirky ways. And we just love him,’ she said.
During the Mass, Dylan was described as a normal, but ‘very lovely’ and caring boy.
‘His family are so, so grateful for the support and friendship they have received here in Shannon, from you, neighbours, friends and wider community over these last days,’ Fr Whelan said.
‘They are especially grateful to the air ambulance service that came to their aid last Sunday, the gardaí and to Temple St Hospital and to all involved in Dylan’s care and the care of the family.’
The parish priest added that Dylan’s accident and death brought ‘a stop to this parish’. ‘It’s almost as if a dark cloud just covered Shannon and people are most assuredly lost for words and that great sense that we all want to do something,’ he said.
Dylan’s white coffin was adorned with a white floral wreath made up of white roses and lilies, along with three photographs of the popular young boy.
During the concelebrated Mass by parish priests Frs Whelan and Michael Geraghty, mourners were told: ‘These [symbols] really are the beautiful tokens, just little things that were part and parcel of Dylan’s life.
‘We are gathering in a very special way to remember a very special member of our community... gathering with his Mum and Dad, with Laura and Garry, his sister Zoe, brother Shane, grandparents Deirdre and Ben Coady, and grandmother Carmel Coleman.
Fr Whelan concluded: ‘The tears in the eyes of so many teachers and, especially on my visit to St Tola’s, said it all. Their hearts are with you Laura and Garry and all of the family.’
The boy was buried afterwards at Illaunamanagh Cemetery.