Kieran and I always went to matches together and I couldn’t go in without him. Honestly I don’t think I ever will
Grieving family reveal plans to set up lasting legacy to 13-year-old
The grief-stricken dad of tragic heart attack schoolboy Kieran McDade has revealed he can’t face going back to watch Celtic since his son died.
The 13-year-old collapsed with a cardiac arrest during football training and lost his fight for life days later.
Hoops hero Leigh Griff iths paid a poignant tribute to the youngster after scoring on the 13th minute of a home SPFL clash against Aberdeen the day after he died.
The Scotland striker lifted a T- shirt with a special message which read “RIP Kieran” and ran the length of the pitch holding it aloft.
The family had accepted Celtic’s invitation to be special guests at the match.
But dad Bernie, 63, couldn’t bring himself to take his seat in the stand after meeting manager Brendan Rodgers and the players before kick-off.
Now he’s revealed he doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to go back to Celtic Park.
Still reeling from his boy’s sudden death, he said: “Kieran and I went to the matches together and it didn’t feel right to go in without him. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to go back, to be honest.”
The pair had just returned from Dublin where they watched Celtic take on Barcelona in the Internat ional Champions Cup in July.
It was their last trip away together before Kieran, of Airdrie, took ill while training with his local team Dunbeth FC.
The St Margaret’s Academy pupil spent a week fighting for his life before passing away.
Celtic invited Bernie, mum Gemma Nolan and sister Amy to the match as special guests. Fans had organised a 60- second applause on the 13th minute of the match. Grif f iths hit the back of the net just as it was about to start.
Gemma, a district nurse, said: “We really think that Kieran must have been at Celtic Park with us for Leigh to score in the 13th minute.” Amy, 16, said: “It was surreal. We knew they were going to start a round of applause and we were ready to stand up but then he scored. It was really emotional.
“I love going to Celtic Park now because that’s where I feel really close to Kieran and feel like he’s always there.
“It’s still really difficult for my dad because they always went together but I love going now.
“After the match, I told Leigh he must
It’s like a nightmare that hasn’t ended. We will never get over his death
have had the angels on his side to score in the 13th minute.”
Initially, the family had clung to the hope that Kieran would survive after he showed signs of responding.
But when it became clear that he would not recover, they say the precious time they spent with him in hospital meant they were able to say goodbye properly.
Gemma, 50, said: “We initially thought he may pull through in some way.
“We knew we wouldn’t get the same boy back but I would have taken him any way I could. “At one point, he was trying to talk and grabbing my hand. “There were times when he knew we were there. “At the start of the week, he moved his head when Amy came in and it was looking a bit more positive. “But the doctors reckon he had a seizure later that week, which caused massive brain damage. “We were all there when he passed away. “Medical staff removed a tube and it took 40 minutes. “I took his blanket and bear, lay on the bed beside him and just held him. “We told him how proud we were of him. “If that had happened on the park, we wouldn’t have had that time and I’m just thankful we got that week in hospital with him. Amy had his playlist and they had in an earphone each and she also took his handprints.”
Kieran had an underlying condition known as aor tic stenosis, which caused a heart valve to narrow and restrict his blood flow.
He was monitored and assessed by cardiologists annually and no restrictions were placed on how active he was allowed to be.
Gemma said: “Kieran had a congenital heart defect which was picked up when he was born.
“He had an operation and we knew he might need his heart valve to be changed.
“We knew as he got older and his football became more fast-paced, he probably wouldn’t be able to continue with it.
“The club were informed about everything but he was screened every year.
“The cardiologists could never have seen this happening. They told us it could have happened stepping on to a bus.”
The fami ly f i rst real ised something was wrong when they got a cal l at teatime on August 18 to say Kieran had trouble breathing.
Gemma said: “He was being resuscitated when we got there.
“I knew at that point it was a cardiac arrest and I’d never get my son back.
“It was like being in somebody else’s body in a nightmare that hasn’t ended. We’ ll never get over it.”
Since his death, Kieran’s club coaches have been receiving t raining on how to use a def ibri l lator af ter one was donated by a businesswoman. The equipment delivers a potentially life-saving shock to the heart when someone suffers a cardiac arrest.
Gemma added: “For every minute’s delay in defibrillation, the survival rate of a cardiac arrest decreases by as much as 10 per cent.
“We’re determined to get the message out that every sports club in Scotland should invest in one.
“A defibrillator at the scene could have made a difference to Kieran. They’re easy to use and store. If Kieran’s story can save one life, it won’t have been in vain.
“It would be lovely to keep his name alive and know that he was here for a purpose.
“He was our beautiful boy for 13 years but for him to leave a legacy would be special.”
The family have also taken great comfort that Kieran was an organ donor and his kidneys were transplanted into a young boy and a man in his 40s.
Gemma added: “It’s something I knew he would have done so I didn’t think twice.
“I know how vital these organs are but it’s never something I thought I would be making a decision on for my child.
“It would be nice to think there’s a wee boy somewhere kicking a ball about thanks to Kieran.”
Dunbeth FC plan to start a foundation in Kieran’s name and hold a football match in his honour.
A tribute concert wil l take place on Saturday at Airdrie Town Hall to raise funds for Monklands Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Children, both of which looked after Kieran.