The family of a local businessman who died following a heart attack in 2021 have donated a number of defibrillators to the local community in his memory.
AJ McDonnell from West Belfast owned a popular hair salon on the Falls Road and passed away following a heart attack days before his 40th birthday.
Speaking to Belfast Live, AJ's sister Margaret said that the family have raised £8000 which will buy three defibrillators for the local area.
Read more: West Belfast family keeping brother's memory alive after he died waiting for a heart transplant
"AJ had high blood pressure which caused the heart attack," she said.
"He died on the 5th December and he would have been 40 on the 12th December.
"AJ owned AJ's Hair Design above Pat's Barbers so one of the defibrillators will be located there and another will be put at the top of the Donegall Road at Mallon Brothers undertakers as that is who buried him."
Some of AJ's colleagues ran the half marathon in his memory and the money raised was added to money that the family had raised in his memory to buy the defibrillators.
"We also donated a defibrillator to St Peter's Nursery School as they couldn't take a child who had a heart condition as they didn't have the equipment," Margaret added.
"The man who supplied the defibrillators is also going to come into some of the local youth groups to give the young people some training on what the defibrillators are for and how to use them properly.
"The rest of the money that we raised will be used for the upkeep of the defibrillators."
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