The uncle of tragic nurse Mary Ellen Molloy who was killed in a freak accident in Australia has spoken of his family’s heartache and their wish to get her home.
Donegal All-Ireland winning GAA captain Anthony Molloy said there are simply no words to describe how his family are feeling right now.
Mary Ellen was killed when the branch of a tree fell on the taxi in which she was travelling on Friday evening last in Melbourne.
The beautiful 26-year-old had been working there as a nurse having left her native Ardara sixteen months ago.
Anthony, who was also Mary Ellen’s Godfather, said there is just a numbness which has embraced the family and the community since word of Mary Ellen’s tragic death broke on Friday last around 5.30pm.
“It’s so hard to put it into words. It was just such a freaky thing to have happened. We received word from local Gardai around 5.30pm last Friday. We couldn’t believe what they were telling us and it’s still difficult to believe it now,” he said.
Mr Molloy, a Fianna Fail county councillor, described Mary Ellen as a beautiful person “both on the inside and out.”
He said “I think she was always destined to be a nurse, even from a young age. She had that caring nature and loved looking after people, especially older people.
“You can see from her pictures that she was a beautiful-looking girl but her beauty was also inside and anybody in Ardara or who came into contact her in any way will tell you that.”
Mr Molloy said Mary Ellen’s parents Terence and Angela are coping as best they can and are comforting their two other sons John and Karl.
He says Christmas will never be the same again after the tragedy but said the community and people in general have been marvellous.
He paid tribute to Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher for his efforts in helping to repatriate Mary Ellen.
“You cannot describe how the family are feeling. It’s impossible to put it into words because there are simply no words for it. They just want to get her home now and Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher, a close personal family friend for many years, is doing trojan work to that end.
“Mary Ellen was the eldest and Terence and Angela were so proud of her and delighted of the young woman she had become.
“It’s impossible to put into words the feeling that is there. This should be a happy time of year for the family at Christmas but all there is is a sense of numbness and sorrow at what has happened,” he added.
Meanwhile plans to repatriate Mary Ellen’s remains back to Ireland to her native Ardara for burial are continuing.
The repatriation is being co-ordinated by Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher who paid tribute to all those working behind the scenes to bring Mary Ellen home.
“This is a very difficult time for everyone especially the Molloy and Gillespie families.
“All that can be done is being done and I would like to pay tribute at this time to the Australian authorities and to the undertaker who are doing tremendous work in helping to bring Mary Ellen home to her family.
“We will know a lot more in the coming days,” added Deputy Gallagher.
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