A family have been left devastated after their "wee superhero" son drowned just hours after they arrived in Majorca for a holiday. Corey Aughey, six, died after wandering off to the drinks machine at the hotel they were staying at last summer.
The little boy was found in the hotel pool around three hours after the family had arrived in Spain for their all-inclusive holiday. He was pulled out of the water and given CPR before being rushed to hospital, but he tragically passed away.
Corey's death sent shockwaves through the community in the Ballysillan area of Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the family are from. Speaking to BelfastLive, Corey's dad Colin said the love and support they have received since their blue-eyed "bundle of energy" passed away has been a real comfort to the grieving family.
Describing what happened, Colin told how the family had checked into the hotel on a Thursday morning and went straight to the pool. He said Corey thought it was great he could go and get a free drink of Coke from the drinks machine as the family had bought an all-inclusive package.
Tragically, Corey was found in the pool, and a fellow holidaymaker called Matt from Manchester reportedly did CPR on the little boy and he got a pulse back before the ambulance arrived and took him to hospital.
Colin explained: "We got there on the Thursday morning, checked in and went to the pool. We then had something to eat, and I went up for a doze. There was only about an hour left of the pool being open, so Leanne brought the kids round to the back pool.
"He would have been running over to the wee drink machine - we were all inclusive so he thought it was great he could get free Coke. Corey was found in the pool, and was taken out and people were working on him at the poolside. A guy called Matt, from Manchester, done the CPR. They worked on him and they did get a pulse back.
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"The ambulance came and took him to the hospital, but we were at opposite sides of the island, so it was a long drive. On the Friday and Saturday, some of my friends came over to us and got the other kids and brought them home.
"On the Saturday, we had a bit of hope for Corey, we thought it was getting better, but on the Sunday, tests showed no brain activity whatsoever. We did seek a second opinion, and that came back the same. The machines were keeping the wee man going - he died on the Sunday.
"We flew back on the Thursday with Corey. Back home to Belfast."
Colin described little Corey as a "wee superhero". He said: "Corey was a great wee child.
"The best way to describe him would be a bundle of energy. We have a 22-year-old who is at university in Spain, an 18-year-old, a 13-year-old and then our Corey, who had more energy that the other three put together.
"When he passed, that is what everyone remembered him by, just being the life and soul of the party, he never stopped. You'd be at a birthday party and he would be the last one dancing."
Colin says the outpouring of love and support shown to his family after Corey's death, was overwhelming. Friends, businesses and strangers sent well-wishes, offered help and support, and even today, friends are continuing to keep Corey's legacy alive, by running the Belfast City Marathon in his name.
And the family soon hope that there will be a Corey Aughey Foundation, where they can raise money which will be used to help children learn how to swim, and to give back to charities such as the Air Ambulance NI and Children's Hospice. "I used to own a carpet shop on the Shankill, so I would have had this wee army of people in the area," Colin added.
"They came up with flowers, and bingo clubs were hosting events for us. There was a lot of money raised for us, through a Go Fund Me page, while we were still over there. We want to now give back, through a charity.
"Corey loved his superheroes, he was just so innocent. He was always talking about heroes, so through the Corey Aughey Foundation, he will be a hero."
In relation to the Corey Aughey Foundation, a spokesperson for the Charity Commission in Northern Ireland, confirmed that the application had been received. "The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland has received a charity registration application for The Corey Aughey Foundation," they added.
"It can be confirmed that assessment of the application is at an advanced stage with a decision expected within the next three to four weeks."
Follow this link to donate to the fundraiser in memory of Corey Aughey.
