Kildorrery rally around the Lynch family
The community in Kildorrery are rallying around the family of the late Tom Lynch, who passed away from a stroke in mid-February. His wife Roibhne Lynch took to the airwaves last Thursday to tell her story, in which her husband was due to start a new job with Dairygold, with the potential to turn their lives around, on the same morning he had a stroke which was to prove fatal.
Speaking on Red FM, Roibhne explained how her husband had had a number of symptoms over the preceding days, including ringing in his ears, and tingling down his right hand side. Over a few days, he visited his GP, called his dentist and rang SouthDoc. His GP diagnosed him with high blood pressure and his dentist gave antibiotics for a suspected abscess.
Ms Lynch had a history of health conditions herself, and the family were in financial difficulty. Repossession proceedings of the house were underway before the outbreak of Covid, but Tom was in discussions to set up a payment plan off the back of his new job. The new role was to ‘ turn their lives around’ and Tom, Roibhne recounted, was excited to be starting.
On the Monday he was due to start, he woke and got up at 7am. He called SouthDoc that morning, feeling worse than he had the previous week. When Riobhne went downstairs later that morning, she found him on the couch, unable to speak correctly and with numbness down his side. Recognising it as a stroke, she rang the emergency services straightaway.
Tom tragically passed away on 10th February and was buried on St Valentine’s Day.
AMAZING RESPONSE
Aoife Griffin, chair of the Kildorrery Parents’ Association, says they set up a fundraiser for Roibhne and her family for the long-term support of the family.
“We became aware of the situation very early on, that they would need everyday supports with the house and everything. The response has been amazing. Not just the monetary support, but people have been offering food and fuel, those kinds of things. While our iDonate fundraiser has been very successful, we also have had an anonymous donation of €10,000. Every penny will be going towards support for the family.”
The fundraiser will remain active on iDonate for the coming period, and any enquiries may be directed to Aoife Griffin on 0863119989.