SHE DIED A HERO
Brave mum, 30, drowns while trying to save her nine-year-old son
A TRAGIC mum who drowned rescuing her nine-year-old son from a lake “died a hero”, her distraught family said yesterday.
Mother-of-two Natasha Core, 30, lost her life in Lough Gowna, Co Cavan, on Wednesday evening.
Her brother Jason Mooney said: “I can’t get my head around it.”
Meanwhile, in Co Leitrim a dad of five in his 70s drowned in Lough Allen while snorkelling and a young boy died after an incident in Lough Sheelin.
THE heartbroken brother of a young woman who drowned rescuing her son described her as “a lovely person taken too soon”.
Natasha Core, 30, lost her life after she tried to help her nine-year-old boy in Lough Gowna, Co Cavan, on Wednesday night.
The mum of two, fondly remembered by villagers in Gowna, had gone down to the water with her eldest boy as they enjoyed the weather.
Speaking from outside their home, just up the road from the scene where she died, her brother Jason Mooney was in a state of shock.
He told us: “Lost for words, I can’t get my head around it.”
And he hailed his sister, who he last spoke to three or four days before her death, saying: “She was an outgoing person, a good mother, she was all for her kids, down to earth – she was just a lovely person. She was taken too soon. She died a hero.”
A huge emergency operation was put in place and the Fire Services and Civil Defence helped locate Natasha’s body. A helicopter also oversaw the search from above.
Gardai said her body was recovered from near the shoreline.
Jason was in Granard, Co Longford, as the events unfolded and tried to make it back as soon as he could, but by then Natasha had passed away.
He said: “He [her son] went into the water and she followed him. She got him out and she just never came out with him.”
Natasha had two young boys, the other one aged four, and a partner.
She had lived in the local village for most of her life and locals yesterday were stunned at the loss.
One woman told us how a crowd went down to the lake when they spotted the helicopter. She said: “The whole community were out here trying to see if they could help in any way because the helicopter was here looking for her.
“She was only a couple of metres from the edge. The boat searching for her found her and pulled her out.”
Another woman, who has kids in the same school, told how Natasha was a great mum.
She said: “It is just horrible. She was a wonderful mother. She would go down to the park with her kids, she would be coming here to the lake having picnics, doing fishing with them – she was just a fantastic mother, she was awesome.”
A man who also lived locally said: “It’s very sad. It’s a small village, everyone knows each other – if you don’t know people personally, you know them to see.
“My heart goes out to her, her children and everyone in the family, it’s devastating.” In a heartbreaking tribute Natasha’s partner Joseph Donohoe wrote on social media: “R.I.P to my girlfriend who sadly passed away last night, words can’t describe how much I love and miss you.
“Already my heart is broke, me and the boys love u to bits, I hope you get the best bed in heaven because you deserve it, u were the best mother to the boys anyone could ask for, I love you Tasha until we meet again.”
Gardai said the coroner had been notified and Natasha’s body was taken
She got him out & she never came out with him JASON MOONEY YESTERDAY
to the mortuary at Navan Hospital for a postmortem. They are treating the death as a tragedy.
Yesterday, Natasha’s immediate family were being comforted by their relatives who had come from Dublin and Wexford.
Funeral details are expected to be confirmed over the coming days.
Natasha’s death was one of two within half an hour of each other in separate incidents.
Michael Hoey, who was in his 70s, also died while in the water in Leitrim. Emergency services attended the scene after the alarm was raised at around 9pm on Wednesday.
The dad of five, who was originally from Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, failed to return while snorkelling at Spencer Harbour in Drumkeeran.
A postmortem on his remains took place at Sligo University Hospital.
Sinn Fein councillor Colm Carthy told the Irish Mirror: “The community are still trying to come to terms with the news, it’s an absolute tragedy and our thoughts are with the family at this very sad time.”
Michael’s son Chris, who lives in California, said he was struggling to come to terms with the death.
In a touching Facebook post, he wrote: “There are no words to describe the feelings and emotions.
“One never expects to get this kind of call. We’re all just in a constant state of disbelief and a hope that this is, just a bad dream. It’s hard to believe you’re gone dad.”
Meanwhile, a young boy who was left fighting for his life in another water accident on Tuesday has passed away.
He was rushed to hospital in a serious condition following a neardrowning incident after being pulled from the water at Lough Sheelin, a lake at a meeting point of counties Westmeath, Meath and Cavan.
Gardai and emergency services rushed to the scene and the boy was taken to Temple Street Children’s Hospital.
A spokesperson said last night: “Gardai attended the scene of an incident at Lough Sheelin on Tuesday.
“A male youth was recovered from the water shortly before 3pm.
“He was taken to CHI, Temple Street where his condition was described as serious. He has since passed away.”