Community rallies together to help Mallow family
“MAY the generosity of people make you feel the world is not such a bad place.”
That was one of the heartfelt messages posted to a Go Fund Me page set up to raise funds for the Mallow family that suffered double heartbreak over recent weeks.
Last month Mary Gore, a mother of five young children, lost her partner Chris after a year-long battle with cancer. The tragedy was compounded after the Gore’s College Wood home was destroyed in an accidental electrical fire– resulting in the family losing almost all of their belongings and leaving them with just the clothes on their backs.
The only items to survive were the family’s precious photograph albums and the defence forces medals awarded to Chris during his time in the army.
Coming so close to Christmas, their story touched the hearts of so many, with people from Mallow and across Ireland coming together in a heart warming show of generosity to help the family rebuild their shattered lives.
At the time of going to press more than 1,670 donations totalling almost €70,000 had been made to a Go Fund Me account set up just six-days ago to assist the family in replacing lost items and help Mary and her children cope over the festive season.
Perhaps most importantly of all the family, which had been stayed in Mary’s brothers house following the fire, also have been housed in temporary accommodation at a house in College Wood while the process of repairing their fire damaged home gets underway.
Businesses across Cork have responded with offers of furniture and other household goods, while people have also donated toys, clothes and other items to the family.
Local schools have also offered to replace books and uniforms destroyed in the blaze.
Speaking to The Corkman, Mary said there were no words she could use to adequately express her gratitude to the many people who have donated to money and gifts to her family.
“I am just overwhelmed by the incredible kindness of people and the generosity they have shown to me and my children. It’s hard to put into words just how grateful we are to everybody. When you hear about this kind of thing happening on the radio it touches your heart. When it happens to you it is simply mind-blowing,” said Mary.
While Mary said it would be impossible to thank everyone for their kindness, she did express her gratitude to Cork County Council, and in particular Cllr Melissa Mullane and the Tuath Housing Agency for finding the family temporary accommodation so quickly.
She also had a special word of thanks to her friend Carol Gueran who set up the Go Fund Me appeal.
“Carol has been incredible and we will never be able to repay her kindness.. Through the kindness and generosity of so many people, businesses and groups some semblance of light has been shed into our lives and I can now focus on giving my children the best Christmas that I possibly can,” said Mary.