'There is healing in all things': Grieving dad donates funds raised in son's memory
In the depths of his grief, he clings to the memories of days like this and finds solace knowing that some good has come from his immense tragedy.
Grieving dad, James Healy, said he is convinced his beloved son, Matthew, who died in tragic circumstances in Waterford last February, aged just six, helped arrange the glorious sunshine on Saturday for the handover of almost €40,000, raised in his memory in Cork this summer, to Make A Wish, the charity that makes dreams come true for children with life-threatening illnesses.
It is the largest amount raised for the charity by any community fundraiser in Ireland this year.
And it will have a huge and lasting positive impact on the kids and families it works with, the charity said.
“It was great to see such a crowd of people turning out for Matthew earlier this year - that was a big thing for me,” James said.
“And I’m delighted that it’s going to such a great cause. So some good has come out of all this. There is healing in all of these things.”
Matthew was found unresponsive at around midnight on February 9 near Rathmoylan Cove, Dunmore East, in Co Waterford.
He was treated at the scene by gardaí and paramedics, and was rushed by ambulance to University Hospital Waterford, but was later pronounced dead.
James set out to do something positive in his boy's memory and brought the community of Watergrasshill together to raise money for Make A Wish, which has been granting life-changing wishes for children and families for over 40 years.
He organised a motorbike and vintage car run from Watergrasshill, which it was revealed on Saturday has raised a staggering €38,645 for the charity.
David Burns, the head of fundraising with Make A Wish Ireland, said: “We grant wishes to children living with life-threatening illnesses and we have granted over 3,000 wishes since 1992 and hope to grant over 220 wishes this year alone.
"We hope to bring joy, hope and lasting memories to those children and their families.
“Whatever the wish is, we work with the child to understand what’s in their imagination, and we work really hard to make a wish as close to that as possible.
“And the important for us is to not ensure not just that the wish happens, but it’s about the anticipation of the wish, the wish happening and then the ripple effect, to ensure that the impact of it lasts for a long time afterwards.
“It’s creating memories for children and their families and communities when they are going through such a tough time.
“It’s about trying to give them something positive to focus on when life is extremely tough.”
Speaking at the handover of the cheque in Watergrasshill on Saturday, James thanked all those who helped during the fundraiser and he paid an emotional tribute to everyone “for showing up for my small man” on the day.
Mr Burns said many of the children they work with have had their childhoods interrupted by illness and trip to the hospital or doctor.
But he said the granting of a wish has the power to give them back a sense of childhood.
The vast amount of money raised in Matthew’s memory will have a huge impact on hundreds of children and their families in the years ahead, he said.