Ger died in mid-air while kite-surfing ..a simple heart check could have saved him
Family set up fundraiser for vital unit at hospital
€45 is the cost of a life-saving scan or ECG for people at risk of SADS at this clinic ELAINE FENNELLY ON MATER HOSPITAL FUNDRAISING DRIVE
AN athlete who died mid air while kite-surfing could have been saved by a simple heart check, his heartbroken sister has revealed.
Ger Fennelly, who would have turned 40 yesterday, died of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome while taking part in a charity event at Dollymount Strand, Dublin on October 31.
His sister Elaine Fennelly, from Beaumont in Dublin, has said a simple electrocardiogram could have saved his life and urged athletes to get checked for heart disease.
She said: “Initially people thought that he lost control of the kite and died from the impact of falling from a great height.
“We now know from the postmortem results that Ger died of a congenital heart defect that was never picked up on from birth. He suffered a cardiac arrest and died in mid air.
“Knowing that he died before the impact and didn’t suffer has given us some comfort.”
The experienced kite-surfer and triathlete was fundraising for a mental health charity at the time of his death.
He had only been in the water for 29 minutes when he took a heart attack.
The father of one had type one diabetes but his sister said he never let his condition hold him back from accomplishing anything he aimed for.
She said: “He was really big into his fitness and was a really talented athlete.
Elaine said: “He completed an ironman in Barcelona back in 2018, he also swam Alcatraz and did a triathlon in San Francisco.”
Ger has been described “gentleman” by his friends colleagues.
He had worked as housing officer for the Cluid housing charity, providing affordable, quality homes to people in need of a home.
He had just been offered a permanent position at the organisation and was due to begin a new role at the company.
Ger’s family have set up a fundraiser for the screening unit in the Mater Hospital which has already raised thousands of euro.
They hope to raise awareness among athletes about
a as a and the dangers of SADS and encourage as many people as possible to get checked.
A statement from Ger’s family on the fundraising page read: “€45 is the cost of a life-saving scan or ECG for people at-risk of SADS at this clinic.
“And the screening that takes place here depends almost completely on fundraisers like this one.
“Our family will now be screened here for the same genetic condition as Ger, along with other families who have, or unfortunately will suffer a similar bereavement.
“Donations to this clinic will help screening become more proactive, and will help researchers build up a biobank of samples that can help identify at-risk families ahead of tragedy.”
■ Donations can be made at tributefunds.materfoundation.ie/fund/ view/name/gerfennelly-savinglives