The mother of stabbing victim Josh Dunne revealed her young kids fear she’ll never come home each time she goes out after the death of their older brother last year.
Diane Dunne returned to the scene of where her son lost his life for just the third time earlier this month, where his close pal Paris Thompson has created a memorial in his honour.
Josh, from Ballymun, North Dublin, was killed in East Wall in the city on January 26, 2021.
Diane said she has been living in a “trance” since the 16-year-old’s death but the reality is now hitting her.
But the mum-of-seven also told how the tragedy has impacted Josh’s siblings.
She told the Irish Mirror: “The small ones are getting counselling, they’re only four and six. They think when someone walks out the door, they’re not coming home. I ended up in hospital and they were going mad thinking because Josh ended up in hospital and he died, they thought I was going to die.
“It’s not fair on them. The impact on the whole lot of us, a part of us died
with him.”
Reflecting on the time since his passing, Diane added: “The reality is sinking in now.
“I find that it’s getting harder and harder because I know he’s not coming home now.
“I’ve been in a trance for the last year or so, for a few months there. I was thinking he is going to walk through that door.
“You know now that he’s not, he’s not coming back.
“It’s sad because he’s only a child. He deserves to be here.”
Josh’s pal Paris, who was with him on the night he died, revealed to the Irish Mirror how she tried to save his life.
Recalling the last words he said to her, Diane revealed: “He said, ‘Mam, I’m going out ma, see you later. Love you’. That was it then. Then later on, his friend knocked at the door to say he was after being stabbed.
“Even then, I didn’t think it was that serious. I never got to see him after that until I had to identify him.”
Since the tragedy, Diane has had to deal with each milestone without her boy – his birthday, Christmas and his first anniversary last month.
The latest painful time was at the start of this month when his group of friends did their mocks.
Diane said: “I was roaring crying. But I guarantee you now he’s up there now saying, ‘At least I don’t have to do it’.
“His friends are moving on. And it’s hard for them. I know it’s hard for them because they always come down to me – not a day goes past without one of them contacting me.”
Josh was a talented footballer with a future destined to make it as a professional having played for Bohemians and St Kevin’s football clubs. He also had a trial with Scottish Premier Division side Dundee United.
Diane added the sad reality is if it wasn’t for Covid, he would be still here.
She said: “He was just a funny fella. He loved life. He’d never get up for school but he’d get up for football. His life was just football.
“Dundee United would have scouted him only for Covid. Same as the night he died, training would have been on, and he would have been playing football and still here.”
Diane also paid tribute to the Ballymun community who have supported her and her family since Josh’s death.
She said: “They’re great and pull together. And the amount of stuff that’s happened in the community for Josh is another thing that’s just amazing – to see how much he was loved, how much he was liked, what type of child he was.”
A 35-year-old man, who a court heard was not known to Josh, will go on trial later this year charged with his murder.
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