THE EMOTIONAL STATEMENT FROM RYAN O’CONNOR’S FAMILY
“RYAN was a pleasant, happy-go-lucky character who would do anything for anyone. He was well-loved by all that knew him including family and friends.
“However, he had his life brutally and senselessly taken from him for no reason whatsoever by these individuals. His untimely death has ripped the heart from my family leaving us with holes in our own lives that cannot be filled.
“We all feel the pain of his loss, and expect those who have caused this will never truly understand what they have done or even comprehend the impact this event has had upon our lives. Ryan’s death has destroyed us all, and we doubt any of us will be the same again. Everyone who knew him has lost something because of what happened – words cannot explain the grief that we feel.
“As an individual Ryan always had time for all his relations, and got on well with everyone. He was a well-liked character, always joking about and loving life. As the youngest of two brothers he would wind his mother up but was always her little boy at the end of the day. He was certainly particular about how he liked certain things being done, and it was always the case for Ryan that mum’s way was the best despite others’ best efforts. It is these small things which Sharon says she misses – that playful banter and relationship between a mum and her son.
“John, his father, says that he too misses his son deeply, referring to the small interactions the two would share together. Suffering with ill health himself, John longs for the conversations he would have with Ryan in the evenings when he would come in. He misses him asking him for things, or even just saying ‘good night’ to him before going to bed. John says that he still speaks to his son most evenings when he is alone but wishes he could hear Ryan talking back to him. Ryan also loved the children in his life, and they loved him back. He was idolised by his five-year-old niece, who constantly talks about her uncle. She has become fearful that others will be taken from her and has separation anxiety, worrying and crying about losing other relatives close to her.
“Ryan’s son, Teddy, also misses his father, calling out for his daddy and looking around for him when people enter the room. Being too young to understand or appreciate that Ryan has been taken from him, the family ensure that Teddy will know who his father was. Ryan was so proud of his son – when he learned that he was going to have a child he would show everyone the scan pictures and always said he wanted a boy. When Teddy was born he was overjoyed, however, he would never have that opportunity now to see his child grow up. It was Teddy’s first birthday just after his father was killed, and so Ryan never got to share that special day with his son – something which is heartbreaking for us all.
“It is all of these little things that at the time we all took for granted which hurt the most now we cannot do them anymore. Had it not been for the acts of those involved in this needless attack upon Ryan he would still be here today with his family.”