RTE star Ryan Tubridy has joined a couple from Longford on a walk of the Royal Canal Greenway in memory of their son lost to suicide.
Ryan received a letter written by John O'Hara which detailed the planned walk with his wife Joanna in memory of their son Niall, who they tragically lost to suicide in 2019 at the age of 20.
John explained that he wrote the letter and never sent it, but Joanna decided that it needed to be seen by Ryan when she discovered it. Ryan then invited the couple to chat on his RTE Radio One show when John read the letter to listeners.
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John said in the letter: "The pain, the horror, the trauma and the absence is unimaginable to most. We go to HUGG meetings every second Tuesday to be among people who understand our pain. We talk openly about our loved ones and we listen with excepting ears and understand with a heavy heart."
John explained the format of the planned walk along the Royal Canal Greenway from Muckerstaff, County Longford to Maynooth where Niall was a student.
He said: "The amount of people that we've met who reminisced about Niall and told a few jokes, people want to connect with you, and just want to hug you and hold your hand. We missed all of that with Covid. The power and the strength in numbers, it's just been overwhelming to us."
Joanna then told Ryan: "It's hard to see a future without him in it, but we are getting huge strength from the people around us. It's just lovely hearing Niall's name again."
Ryan revealed on Instagram today that he went to Mullingar to meet Joanna, John and other walkers. He told his followers: "I'm here to join them, to wish them well, and hopefully raise awareness."
He then introduced Joanna, who has been taking part in the 150km walk since Sunday, June 26, who said she felt tired but exhilarated.
"It's a great crowd by the canal... People know what to do, donate, do what you can and remember Niall while you're doing it."
John and Joanna's fundraiser will see them donate funds to HUGG, a charity that supports loved ones of people lost to suicide and YSPI (Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland). The couple's original fundraising goal was €3,000 but they have since raised over €27,000.
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