Virus forces Ryan family to cancel anniversary trip
Eoin Murphy
THE threat posed by the coronavirus outbreak has caused the family of the late Gerry Ryan to cancel an Italian trip planned to mark the 10th anniversary of his death.
The legendary 2fm broadcaster died of heart failure on April 30, 2010, aged 53.
His eldest child, Lottie (33), told the Sunday Independent: “We were supposed to go over to Italy for my dad’s anniversary next month and I just don’t think it is going to happen now.
“We have our flights booked and everything and have been planning this for a while but we can’t risk it.
“It is so disappointing because this was our plan as a family to remember him but the fact is that it just isn’t safe to travel. And the only case of coronavirus in Ireland has come from Italy so you have to put emotion aside.
“It is disappointing because it would have been lovely — really nice — because it would have brought back so many lovely memories.”
She said Italy holds a special place for the Ryan family, as they visited the country with dad Gerry: “But look, the most important thing is that we are still together as a family; it just would have been a nice way for us to be together and a nice place with good memories for us. It is what it is, and we will find something else to do and life goes on.
“It is frightening to think how quickly something like this can just close down the world but it is the right decision for us as a family.”
The spread of the coronavirus in Italy is a particular concern for Lottie, whose husband Fabio hails from a small community outside of Rome. Thankfully for them, the virus has not affected his community but it does prevent him from going home to see his family.
“At the moment, Fabio’s family haven’t been affected, but he is from this tiny village so hopefully it will be a while before it gets to them. He is from the middle of nowhere in the mountains; north of Naples and south of Rome.
“So far, thank God they are fine but you still would have to fly into an international airport. And the thought of being on a plane from Italy just freaks me out.”
Tonight will see Lottie taking to the dance floor on RTE’s Dancing with the Stars, hoping to progress to the quarter-final stages in a week’s time. With just four weeks left in the competition, Lottie says she will wait until after the show before the family decides what to do to mark Gerry’s passing. ‘Dancing with the Stars’, RTE1, tonight 6.30pm.