Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
We have grieved since the crash but never gave up hope... now we grieve for Richard
Dad’s tribute as son dies 10 months after accident
RICHARD Weir who suffered catastrophic injuries in a car crash 10 months ago has passed away.
The 17-year-old from Co Down, had been in a vegetative state and receiving palliative care for several weeks.
He slipped away with his mum Yvonne by his side on Monday.
Today his father Brian wants to thank the people who have supported the family since the crash on his birthday last year and all the medical staff who have helped them since the tragedy struck.
He said: “We’re just broken by his leaving us. Richard was everything to us and we tried everything to keep him here but in the end, it was time.
“The injuries he’d suffered had been awful and the impact of his body was terrible. I know he’d still be here if he could.
“Richard fought to stay with us, he fought to survive and get better. But in the end it was all too much and his body gave up. It was time, we have to accept that now. Richard was peaceful with his mum by his side and he slipped away.
“Hard as it is to have to say goodbye, it would be selfish of us to have tried to hold on when he needed to go. But our hearts are broken and life will never be the same again.
“We have grieved for 10 months since the crash, grieved for the loss of the young man that he had become, loss of the laughs and carry on.
“We grieved for the normality of life with children who were fit and well.
“We worried for the future, we grieved for past but we never gave up hope.
“We must grieve for Richard. I don’t know how we’ll do that yet but we will try, we’ll try for Richard. He loved life and he’d want us to live our lives as best we could so we must try.”
The Warrenpoint boy had been a front seat passenger in a friend’s car, when it crashed last October.
He broke almost every bone in his upper body, his skull smashed on one side and his lungs punctured.
His best friend died in the crash, two other young friends in their company were seriously hurt.
Brian said: “We just want to thank everyone who has supported us with Richard’s care in the last 10 months and thank them in advance for the care I know they’ll show us in the days, weeks and months to come as we face this new crisis.
The funeral will take place at St Peter’s Church at 10.30am tomorrow.
CO DOWN YESTERDAY HOPE