The Dublin 11 community have rallied together to raise an incredible €11,000 and counting for a well-liked local delivery driver.
Abraham is a self-employed driver in the area who was driving for DPD in the Finglas and Glasnevin areas. On Tuesday morning, he was doing deliveries in the Grove Park area when his van was stolen.
As he works for himself, he is out of a job until he retrieves or is able to replace the van. The delivery driver is known to everyone in the area and locals have rushed to support him in any way they can coming up to Christmas.
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Speaking to Dublin Live, Abraham said he is "blown away" by the support of the community and "can't thank them enough".
"I never thought I would see this generosity in my life," he said. "I can not believe it, it is just beyond me. All I can say is that I am very, very grateful."
"I was so heartbroken when it happened, not just because of me but for my customers. Every morning when I'm driving out they'll expect me.
"I'm short of words. Everyone has been so nice, I am beyond grateful."
Abraham said his Tuesday morning was just a typical day before the theft occurred. "Basically, I loaded and drove out. I was doing my deliveries around the Glasnevin area and entered into Grove Park Road and did some deliveries there.
"Then I did Grove Park Drive and then Grove Park Avenue, that's how I do my routine. I started at the bottom and then I got to my last delivery for the Avenue.
"It was a large box so I stepped out of my van to get the stuff from the back, took the box and used my body to close the door because the box was heavy. I turned back and next thing I know I saw my van drive off, I could not believe it. I dropped the stuff and ran after it."
Abraham ran onto the main road to try and catch the van but unfortunately it was gone. "Immediately I rang 999," he said.
"I went back to one of my customers I delivered to earlier in Grove Park Road and told her my van had been stolen. This lady volunteered immediately to drive me to Finglas garda station.
"To be honest, I am just so so grateful for the type of customers that have been brought into my life."
One of Abraham's local delivery customers Cian O'Leary set up the fundraiser and described him as the "nicest man you could ever meet". He told Dublin Live: "Even the dogs look forward to him coming to the door. He's so personable and great to deal with.
"He's a real part of the community. Everyone is gutted that this has happened to him and he's out of a job."
Cian set up the fundraiser yesterday with a modest target of €400 to help Abraham in the run-up to Christmas, but the response has been "incredible".
"We have €11,000 and counting," he said. "I thought we would just get a few bob together to try give him a hand before Christmas, but with the way it's going now we might be able to buy him a new van and get him back on his feet.
"It's a credit to the community. They're all fantastic. It's the most expensive time of the year and even with the cost of living crisis on top of that, everyone has been so generous and given what they can."
A garda spokeswoman told Dublin Live that officers have launched an investigation into the incident. She said: "Gardai are investigating the unauthorised taking of a vehicle on Grove Park Avenue, Glasnevin, Dublin 11 which occurred at approximately 11.45am the 6th December 2022.
"Enquiries are ongoing."
To support the fundraiser for Abraham, you can click here.
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