Farewell ‘cheeky chancer’ Jason, 13
Tributes to sudden death boy
She went to call him for his dinner and she couldn’t wake him KAREN REDDIN ON HER SON’S TRAGIC DEATH
A COMMUNITY has united in grief to support the family of a schoolboy with a “cheeky smile” after his shock death.
The tragic passing of Jason Reddin from sudden death syndrome has left his family devastated. The keen basketball player and Liverpool fan was found dead by his grandmother Marie at her home while he was visiting her on April 2. His heartbroken mother Karen said: “She went to call him for his dinner and she couldn’t wake him. He loved spending time with his nanny – but he was a pure mammy’s boy at heart.” The community of Liscarne Gardens, Neilstown, Clondalkin in West Dublin raised more than €7,000 for his funeral where school pals formed a guard of honour on April 11. The 13-year-old’s death has left his mum, step-dad Dave, sisters Stephanie, 19, and Ashling, 15, and brothers Joey, 21 and nineyear-old David in shock. Ashling’s class at Collinstown Park Community College have dedicated their Fighting Words collective novel transition year project to her brother. She told how Jason was in “grand form” at the family home just “a couple of hours” before he died. She said: “He was messing with me in the kitchen that day. He was swinging the milk around.” Karen revealed second year student Jason was known as a “cheeky chancer with a way of getting out of trouble” but he had a heart of gold and was great with younger kids, particularly cousins Kasey, four, and two-yearold Kayleigh. There is no history of sudden death in the family and Karen remains baffled as to what happened. She said: “He was at his nan’s and she was after asking him what he wanted for his dinner. He said BBQ chicken and he went into her room watching Showbox on his phone. But when she went to call him she just couldn’t wake him.” Dave added: “He was Liverpool mad and Coutinho was his favourite player. “He was at the age where he was just starting to get interested in girls. “We just want to thank the community for what they did for us and Brian Mcelroy funeral directors were fantastic. Everyone was right behind us whatever we needed and we weren’t expecting that.” Family friend Linda Mcgowan, who led the fundraiser, said: “I don’t think there is a single person around here who didn’t know Jason and who didn’t support the collection.”