Ken Kelly passed away following a battle with cancer back in November, just five months after his son Kevin died tragically in a house fire in Connemara.
The fire happened in June at a house near Casla, where Kevin had been caring for an American woman, Sonia ‘Sunny’ Jacobs, who was in her 70s.
A fundraiser has now been started by a friend of the family, Olwyn Beatty, who is aiming to raise enough to buy a bench in memory of Ken and Kevin ‘where one can sit and take a break and breathe’.
Olwyn is a friend of Jonathan, whose mother Maureen was Kevin’s long term partner. The pair had married earlier this year after several years together.
With a target €1,300, the fundraiser for the bench hopes to honour the ‘two great men’ who had a ‘heart of gold’ and provide ‘a space we can hold close to our heart’.
The GoFundMe page reads: “Hi, my name is Olwyn Beatty and I’m fundraising on behalf of my lovely friend Jonathan and his mother Maureen and their family.
“The family had a very hard year losing two great men this past six months and in memory of them, I wanted to raise enough to buy a bench to where one can sit and take a break, look beyond life, hold still a moment or two and breathe. The individuals of his family have shown such strength, love and devotion; such compassion that I know they deserve the world.
“So would you mind giving even a euro and we can reach the target and have a space that we can hold dear close to our heart to remember these fine men who helped many?
“So many I spoke to over the while in some way or another knew Kevin via Madra and couldn’t praise him high enough – like that Ken had a heart of gold and he would always encourage everyone to do their best and believe in themselves! The world is a little grey at times, but we must see the rays in between the clouds.
“Anyhow I thank you and encourage that you give only what you can if you can…thanks a million bud! In words of himself, Mr Ken Kelly.”
News of Ken’s passing came on November 12 this year. He had been battling cancer for several months before he died in the care of Galway Hospice. Speaking about his time as a patient at Galway Hospice back in November, Ken said he hoped to be reunited with his son when he died.
He said: “My son Kevin died in a house fire in Connemara in June this year. He was a full-time carer for a lovely American lady, and he gave his life trying to save her. I use Kevin as my inspiration every night to keep going. I can hear his voice saying, ‘Come on, Dad, let’s do what we have to do today.’ He’s my hero.
“My faith tells me I’ll meet him again someday, and I’m really looking forward to that.”
Ken married Maureen in September this year after the event of his son’s passing coupled with his cancer diagnosis.
He said of the decision: “We always put everything else before getting married — it never seemed the right time. But after Kevin passed and I got my diagnosis, we said, ‘You know what, let’s do it.’
“We got married on September 3 this year, and it was the most amazing day of my life. I’m a very happily married man.”
You can donate to the GoFundMe page here
Comments are closed.