So what’s Project EDWARD?? To Me ….
Project EDWARD is a marvellous Road Safety Awareness initiative which ultimately holds all our dreams!
On September 26th Project EDWARD is aiming at a European Day Without A Road Death through marvellous podcasts, Tweets etc but as James so eloquently explains:
” We want Every Day Without A Road Death – how can anyone support anything else?”
But There’s so much going on wrong!
It’s the Speeding
It’s the Bloody Mobile Phones while driving
It’s the silly No Seatbelts?
It’s the Drink and Drug Driving!
One begs to ask the question why? and why when you’re behind the wheel?
Distracted driving means you’re not in control of what could become a weapon!
Personally this drives me more than bonkers!! ( rather angry to be truthful!!!)
Because for anyone who has known or loved someone who’s lost their life because of a Road Traffic Accident, you’ll know only too well the carnage that occurs!
IT’S THE CRASH
IT’S THE NO WARNING
IT’S THE NO TIME TO TELL YOUR DARLINGS HOW MUCH THEY MEAN
IT’S THE NO TIME FOR HUGS & CUDDLES
IT’S THE NO TIME TO SAY GOODBYE
IT’S THE NO TIME FOR ANYTHING!!!
IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS YOU KNOW IT,
DREAMS SHATTERED AND
THE BEGINNING OF A LIVING NIGHTMARE!!!
Whilst I was teaching before our crash on July 6th 2012, I used to teach the kids Road Safety, like every other teacher does.
Although I truly believed in this I suppose I never thought I’d attempt to become a road safety advocate. But as the Scéal goes, Life Made Me One!
Words will never be able to express for me the impact of our crash on me myself, on my parents and family, Con’s family, our friends etc.
Whilst I didn’t witness the horrific experience of An Garda Siochána calling to my darling Mom and Dad, to tell them, about our tragic crash, I know only too well it’s something they will always carry!
For my darling sister Norma, she was abroad on holidays with her family, when she got the dreaded call and had to try to get home asap. As for my poor brother Tomás, he was playing a football match and was ushered off the field to be told of our tragedy!
For me personally, I was told in Derriford hospital after waking from coma sleep. Although I was there and visited my darling Con, and air-ambulanced back to Cork University Hospital, I honestly think the first Real Reality Hit when I went in our front door in Meelin the following November when I was bringing Baba Oisín and Little Lady home.
I knew Con was very seriously injured, I was with him every day. I knew Baba Oisín and Little Lady were gone and I’d obviously cried beyond words. But the stark reality of walking into your own home for the first time since we’d left, as happy bunnies on June 29th was a horror movie in reality!
I will honestly until the day that I die ever forget the emptiness, now I’d my Mom and Dad with me, but it was needless to mention horrifying for poor mom and dad as well as me!
As I walked from room to room, there were undisturbed moments from our last day together at home, a cup here, a dodo there, Baba Oisín’s toys almost everywhere and one of Con’s shirts on a chair. We left for ten days not forever, or so we thought!
I moved back to our home the day after Con left for Heaven, why? I had to be there, it was our home but I kept everything as was for a very long time. Did I explain to anyone why there was a playpen in my kitchen? A cot beside my bed? Con’s clothes in our wardrobe? NO!
But did I Cry at the empty baby chair? Where my beautiful little man used to munch his breakfast, YES!
And our empty Playroom,? YES
Did I cry at Baba Oisín’s empty cot beside our bed? YES
Did I cry at our empty bed, just me? No Con? YES!
And 7 years on, Do I still cry for all of our missed adventures, our missed boring times, our missed normal times, our missed everytimes!!!
Absolutely Yes!!
Of course I do! 7 years on doesn’t make it any easier. It’s 7 years since I chatted to my best friend, 7 years since I held him and possibly nagged poor Con about something silly!
7 years since I held my Precious Baba Oisín!
7 years since we had candles and sang Happy Birthday, instead now I visit our grave and light a candle there!
7 years since I dreamt of meeting our Precious Little Lady!
But along with our crash obviously affecting all of us, it also goes beyond both families and effected many people!
- Friends and neighbours
- Relatives
- The Police who were involved
- Our Family Liaison Officers – Gary and Sarah who were just amazing
- The Emergency Services who tried so desperately to save us
- All the doctors, nurses and hospital staff both in Derriford and in Cork
- Our local undertaker, who couldn’t have been more compassionate
- Our local priests
- Both Coroners who really never wanted to have to meet us
So how could I not support Project EDWARD, something which is trying so so hard to prevent our kind of story being somebody else’s!
PROJECT EDWARD: ‘However we use the roads – as drivers, riders, cyclists, pedestrians – we are all more vulnerable than we think!’
Remember, there’s only one of any of us,
Nobody is REPLACEABLE,
And most crashes are PREVENTABLE!
If you do nothing else in 2019 with regard to promises, I strongly urge you to PLEASE SUPPORT @ProjectEDWARD and maybe together We’ll All Help Save A Life! https://projectedward.eu/pledge-3/
#LifeIsPrecious
#ProjectEDWARD
Where There Is Life There Is Hope 