Oz rescue hero dad ‘died a good death saving us’
Heartbroken family’s tribute to tragic drowned father
THE heartbroken wife of a tragically drowned hero dad has said he was as “deep as the ocean that claimed his life” and that he “died a good death, saving us”.
Paul Doran, 45, died last month off the west coast of Australia when he rescued his 11-year-old daughter on an unpatrolled beach.
His wife Simonne has paid emotional tribute to her husband on a Go Fund Page that has now reached over €69,000 of a €40,000 goal to help the Kildare family.
Simonne said: “Paul was as deep and indomitable as the ocean that claimed his life. He died a good death, saving us, and that’s some comfort.
“But it does little to lessen the enormous pain and emptiness of his loss.
“We were so happy together. We went through hard times that Paul said would have broken other couples. But we grew stronger together.
“We made each other better in so many ways and have had so many
Scene on beach in Australia adventures together.
“We were so happy with our life in Australia. It took so much to get here, it was so stressful. But we did it together.
“Our three children, Vann, Lyra and Shay, are our pride and joy. We’ve had so many amazing, fun times as a family.
“So many of the best times were in the smaller moments like huggies in the bed. We had gotten the biggest bed we could, so everyone could get in for hugs.”
Paul, from Tipperkevin in Ballymore Eustace, moved with wife Simonne and their three children to Australia only last July.
The family was at Seven Mile Beach on Lennox Head, 700 kms north of Sydney, in the Coral Sea of the Gold Coast in the state of New South Wales when tragedy struck on January 18. Paul and Simonne bravely saved daughter Lyra and sons Vann and Shay, but Paul drowned.
“Paul was the happiest I had ever seen him once we had settled into our life in Lennox,” she added.
“Paul was a simple man. He loved me, his kids, his family.
“Losing Paul has been a tremendous blow to our whole family. He still had so much to live for, so much to do, so much to give.
“Our children feel his absence immensely. But I think he will always be with us. There are so many people mourning with us.”