Mother turns heartbreak into hope with appeal for new Portaferry defibrillator
The mother of a 12 year-old boy who was killed in an alleged hit-and run incident in Portaferry last July is urging the local community to get behind a fundraising appeal for a defibrillator in the Strand area of the town.
Nichola Kelly, whose son Lucas tragically died after being struck by a vehicle, is aiming to raise £1,000 for the medical device with surplus funds going to the RNLI.
Lucas’s Legacy Run will see participants come together for a run/walk in memory of the popular schoolboy.
The event gets underway at 1pm on Saturday from the Strand in Portaferry. A fundraising raffle will also take place on the day.
Nichola said: “No family should ever have to go through the unbearable pain of losing a child but we want Lucas’s legacy to be a positive one and a defibrillator in this part of Portaferry could save another person’s life.
“Those who were first on the scene with Lucas had to go into the Square in the town to access a defibrillator and this took precious time due to the one-way system.
"With the amount of people using the Strand area, we feel another device here is really needed.
“Portaferry is a wonderful community and the outpouring of love and support my family has received during the past year has been truly incredible.
"I would love to see as many people as possible come together on Saturday as we remember and celebrate Lucas while at the same time raising money for this vital equipment.”
Nichola added: “Members of the RNLI were first on the scene to help Lucas therefore it is fitting that the surplus funds from Lucas’s Legacy Run goes to support the incredible work these volunteers do.
"I can’t speak highly enough of these people – they did absolutely everything they could to help Lucas and we will never forget this.
“Lucas was an affectionate and caring son who brought joy to so many people’s lives, as a family we want to ensure his memory lives on. If he was still with us, he would be right in the middle of the fun on Saturday.
“Therefore, we don’t care if you run or walk on Saturday, we just want to see as many people as possible showing their support and making this a really positive community event.”
Entry fee on Saturday is £10 per person while donations can also be made via a Just Giving page.