Fund for widowed Zoe
As friends pay tribute to Irish groom who perished in Greek wildfire
CLASSMATES of the tragic Irish groom who lost his life as he fled the Greek blaze have appealed for donations to help his widow in the aftermath of his death.
The newlyweds were honeymooning in the region when the wildfire struck less than a week after celebrating their wedding at home in Ireland.
The fund was organised by classmates of groom Brian O’Callaghan-Westropp at the National College of Ireland where he was studying for a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.
As of last night the amount raised had already reached €2,688 of its €5,000 goal in just 11 hours.
The group said that they were ‘distraught’ at the loss of the classmate who they described as ‘an amazing man who helped all around him’.
‘It is incredible to think that Brian was completing his 2nd consecutive Masters course whilst volunteering, fundraising and planning his wedding.
‘We will never forget his larger-than-life personality, his laughter and spirit that carried us all at times,’ they wrote.
The class included a group photo with Mr O’Callaghan-Westropp below their touching tribute and appeal for funds.
Meanwhile, work colleagues of Mr O’Callaghan-Westropp have described him as an ‘integral’ part of their company in a touching tribute.
In a personal advert taken out in The Irish Times, the catering company paid its respects to a man they said was ‘characterised by his hard work, vision and humour’.
‘Our thoughts are with his beloved wife Zoe, his mum Rosemarie, his best mate Adrian, their extended families and friends.
‘We will mourn his passing but we will celebrate him in life by honouring the legacy he has left.’
Separately on Thursday Ready Chef paid an emotional Facebook tribute to their colleague referring to the Clare native as ‘a larger than life individual both in his personal and professional life.
The company praised the ‘selfless man’ for his work with them as a volunteer with Blood Bikes East – a team of motorcyclists who make vital medical deliveries.
Mr O’Callaghan-Westropp died as he and his new wife Zoe fled the flames that engulfed the coastal Greek town of Mati, about 30 miles from Athens.
Authorities have said there were serious indications the fire had been started deliberately.
However, the local mayor of Penteli, where the fire started, has said he believes the blaze was triggered Devastation: Basilis Tzamtzis in his burnt-out home in Rafina accidentally from electrical Monday. When it broke out in the cables. Dimitris Stergiou Kapsalis afternoon, most firefighting said: ‘That is my opinion, I saw resources were already engaged in the cables on the pylon burning.’ tackling a much larger blaze to
The blaze was the second wildfire the west of the Greek capital. to have struck near Athens on Although that one also burned homes, it caused no casualties.
Since the fire on Monday, grief has turned to anger in Greece, with recriminations mounting about how authorities handled the deadly fire and why no evacuation was ordered.
Meanwhile, authorities have said the fire, the heat of which was such that it turned car tyre hub caps into rivulets of molten metal, moved with such speed that ordering the evacuation of the area could have resulted in even more casualties. The worst affected area was Mati – where Mr O’Callaghan-Westropp died – a seaside town which experts say was built like a ‘fire trap’, with houses among pine trees, narrow streets, numerous dead ends and sea access hampered by cliffs.