Devastated man dies just weeks after wife, daughter and grandson (7) killed in crash
AHEARTBROKENman has died just weeks after his wife, daughter and grandson were killed in a devastating car accident.
Joseph Wilson, who was better known as Josie, died suddenly at his home in Cross, Belmullet, Co Mayo, on Wednesday, exactly one month after he lost his wife Mary-Ann, daughter Marcella and grandson Seán (7) in the tragic road accident.
The three were travelling on the N17 near Claremorris at around 1pm on September 11 when their Citroen car collided with a truck that was coming in the opposite direction.
Tight-knit
Marcella, who was in her 40s, was driving her mother Mary-Ann to a hospital appointment in Galway and it’s understood they were only travelling by car as they had missed their bus.
A close family friend said that the tight-knit community has been devastated by the tragedy.
The friend, who did not want to be named, told the Irish Independent :“Josiewas a lovely, decent, hardworking family man.
“He was absolutely distraught after what had happened to Mary-Ann, Marcella and Seán. Nobody can believe what has happened, to have a whole family wiped out in just a few weeks is unbelievable. They will be sadly missed.”
The family friend said that this was the latest tragedy to hit the rural area in just a year. Belmullet woman Majella Donoghue (30) died suddenly on her way back from a dream holiday in South Africa, where she had become engaged.
And Coast Guard Rescue 116 crew – Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, Captain Mark Duffy, Ciarán Smith and Paul Ormsby – were killed in March when their helicopter crashed near Blackrock Island.
The friend said: “This area has had an awful turn of events lately, it just seems to be one thing after another.”
Mr Wilson’s funeral Mass took place yesterday afternoon at St Joseph’s Church in Binghamstown and he was buried in Cross Cemetery.