Seánsqueezedatlot intohisveryshortlife

THE very sad and untimely death of Seán Rogers occurred at Naas General Hospital at the all too young age of 30, on November 8 last.

Seán, from Cedarwood Park, squeezed a lot into his short life, which contained its troubles, but he managed to get back on the rails, battling back against a drug addiction.

He inspired and helped many others, quite a few from his native town, and his locality, who were similarly afflicted, to confront and, likewise, change their lives for the better.

Seán took on the role of director of a drug rehabilitation centre for a couple of years in Kildare.

He threw himself wholeheartedly and unstintingly into guiding and assisting inhabitants when he joined the Freedom Christian Ministries.

He also worked tirelessly and selflessly to help the homeless with addiction problems on the streets of Dublin.

He rediscovered a normal life when he met with Alison Butler, from Dublin, who was also engaged with the Freedom Christian Ministries, and helped run the rehabilitation home.

She became his loving wife, and with their two young children, has suffered an irretrievable loss.

The tributes, which flowed after his passing, were wholesome and numerous. He has left behind a lasting legacy of turning around the lives of so many, which is a source of pride and some measure of consola- tion to his grief-stricken family.

Sean grew up in Cedarwood Park, attended Redeemer Boys School and later O Fiaich College.

He played Gaelic football at school, and loved roller skating in the local community hall, where he also took part in indoor bowls with his father.

He fell into a troubled and dark place, but had the courage and conviction to claw his way out of it, and shared his experiences to take others along the road to recovery, as his kindness and true worth as a human being shone through as one who deeply cared.

His natural bubbly and positive disposition, and yet paradoxically quiet and polite, resurfaced as he regained fitness and health.

He was blessed with the happiness and stability of a wife and two young children, residing in Kildare, and found joy in leisure activities, like training and racing greyhounds, and watch them compete at top tracks like Shelbourne Park.

His devotion to helping others took him to America and Canada, and he enjoyed travel and relaxing breaks in Spain.

Seán was predeceased by his father Andy. He is survived by his loving wife, Alison; sons, Andy and Mason; mother, Doreen; brothers, Stephen, New Zealand, Andrew, Barry and Ciarán; sisters, Adrianne and Margaret; uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters-in-law, motherand father in-law, Marie and Willie Butler, Dublin; nephews, nieces, cousins, extended family, relatives and wide circle of friends.

After reposing at the home, at Lower Point Road, of his sister Adrianne, Seán was taken to the Church of the Holy Redeemer, where Mass was concelebrated by Father Seán McGuigan and members of the Freedom Christian Ministries.

At the start of Mass, his sons, Andy and Mason, brought up gifts that symbolised their father’s life.

Aidan and Shauna Murphy gave the Readings, while the Prayers of the Faithful were led by Sarah Callan, Emily Callan, Racheal Kane Louisa Bhai, Sonya McAreavey and Jane Thompson.

Sisters, Adrianne Thompson and Margaret Rogers presented the Offertory Gifts at the altar.

A Communion Reflection was given by Pastor Stewie Murphy. The music was provided by Freedom Ministries.

Burial took place in Saint Patrick’s cemetery, Dowdallshill.