'Alex died trying to save someone — that's really something special,' says father of homeless man

Mr Warnick had been sleeping in a pop-up tent near Mr Scanlon at the time. It is understood Donal Scanlon fell into the canal and Mr Warnick got caught in silt trying to save him.

Alex's heartbroken father Greg, himself a former alcoholic, admits he and his son had a challenging relationship. Since Alex's death, however, he says he has learned to appreciate a new side to Alex, who was hailed a "hero and protector" for his rescue efforts by his Dublin friends.

Speaking from his home in Oregon in the US, Mr Warnick, aged 76, told the Irish Examiner: “After all he went through in his life, the tough times, he died trying to save someone, that is really something.

“I will be there (in Dublin) from December 4 to begin a journey for my son and to remember him. I am also hoping to make a short film about his life and how we never really know what lies ahead and I will see where it brings me.

“The outpouring of affection and admiration for Alex by the city of Dublin and his friends has been amazing. It has made me proud. There was a side of Alex I never saw, he affected a lot of people.

“His friends there were also his family, and I really appreciate them, and I am there to say thank you. I am still in touch with his friends. I will be guided by them about where I can get involved to volunteer in my son’s memory.”

The double tragedy of the two men has laid bare the vulnerability of Ireland’s growing homeless community, with the latest figures showing the number of people living in emergency accommodation at a record 14,429.

Mr Warnick had been living in Ireland for five years when he died. He had first moved to Cork from London before relocating to Dublin.

Mr Scanlon was originally from Ballybunion, Co Kerry. Local priest Fr Sean Hanafin told the Irish Examiner: “There are no easy answers to why someone ends up homeless”.

Mr Warnick is keen to stress his son's Irishness. “His mother Rose was Irish,” he said. “He had an Irish passport and was an Irish citizen. I think he was more at home on the streets of Dublin at the end of his life than he had been anywhere else.”

He described how his son had battled with drink and drug addiction all his life and had drifted in and out of contact with his father since he left home at 15.

Born in Sydney Australia to Greg and Rose Warnick on June 2, 1982, Alex was their only child together. The couple later divorced in San Diego when Alex was aged 7, and Rose moved to London while Greg remained in the US.

Both parents suffered from alcoholism, but Greg turned his life around when he became sober. Rose died earlier this year in London from terminal cancer and had turned down Alex’s request to see her in her final days.

“That was tough on him no doubt,” Greg said. “They had a difficult relationship. I got full custody of Alex in the US in around 1986, and he came to live with me and my wife Susan.

“Rose had her own demons to fight, and Alex tried to please everyone, it was a hopeless race for him. He was just an innocent kid, in the middle of a shit fight.

"He was always in trouble, he got kicked out of middle school and he quit high school. Despite his difficult relationship with his mother, he still wanted her in his life.” 

Mr Warnick has been married to his wife Susan for almost 35 years and they have two children, Josh and Garrett — born in 1990 and 1994.

Alex left school just before he was 16 and went to Portland Oregon. “That’s when we lost daily contact. But he stayed connected to his brothers.” 

He “resurfaced” in San Diego when he was around 19 years old before he moved to London, “but was suffering from alcohol addiction at that point.” 

"One day he calls me from London, and said 'I need to go into rehab'. Susan and I were on our way to Portugal at the time, we stopped in London as he was getting out of rehab, but he relapsed almost straight away.

“I asked him to go to a narcotics anonymous meeting, but he wasn’t ready and wouldn’t go. He continued to live on the streets of London. Then I got a call two years ago to say he was in Dublin.”

Greg and Susan flew to Dublin in May 2023 to see Alex who was homeless at the time.

“It was a special time,” he said. “We met his street family and made friends with everyone.

“He couldn’t organise anything himself, we had arranged for him to get a new passport to open a bank account, but he lost it on the day he got it — or that is what he told me. He kept saying to me, 'I can’t believe I have lost everything'.

“I said to him, Alex, what happened in the past, I couldn’t care less, you’re my son and I love you unconditionally. Some people just can’t keep it together and Alex was like that.” 

Mr Warnick said he believes his son knew he was going to die.

“He called my wife and I two days before and said, ‘I want you to listen to what I have to say, everything that was so difficult and hard and fucked up is on me, I love you, I want you to know that',” said Mr Warnick. 

He recalls the day he received the news of Alex's death.

“The officer could not have been nicer, he said I am so sorry to tell you this, but your son has passed away. I was not surprised with the news. I always felt Alex was just a step away from something happening, but I don’t think his death sank right in," said Mr Warnick.

“I think though he had come full circle; he knew we were in his corner, and he wanted to acknowledge that before he departed. His death, for me, has been a complete 180 degree on who is Alex, my son, who is he? 

“What’s come from many people who knew him, including his friends in Dublin, is he was protector, a loyal friend, he was upbeat, and always had good words. I think he found some peace in Dublin.

"I know though now that he was loved by his community. Who cares about the rest of it? Despite his chaotic life, I think he found some peace in Ireland, and I now just want to honour him and those who cared for him.”