by Louise Doyle
A YOUNG girl who tragically died with her father and brother is to be remembered on what would have been her 10th birthday at a special event to inspire people to chase their dreams.
Amelia Mullan (6), her father John (49) and brother Tomás (14) died in August 2020 when the family’s car plunged into Lough Foyle at Quigley’s Point on the way home from a family day out.
Geraldine, the sole survivor of the tragedy is a nurse at Letterkenny University Hospital.
She set up The Mullan Hope Centre in the wake of the tragedy to remember her beautiful family.
Announcing the special plans to celebrate what would have been her daughter’s special birthday “turning double digits’, Geraldine said her daughter’s name is shared with an “amazing woman” Amelia Earhart, the American aviation pioneer and writer.
She was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. With this in mind, Geraldine has poignantly called the event, ‘Amelia’s Flight of Hope’.
Geraldine said: “October 8 is the day I should be celebrating my little girl Amelia’s 10th birthday.
Had things been different, there would have been great excitement in the Mullan household with our little ray of sunshine Amelia (aka the boss of the house) turning double digits.
“ I know for sure my beloved John would have gone above and beyond, there would have been cake, balloons, banners, bouncy castle, presents galore with her big brother Tomás making sure every last detail was taken care of to ensure her birthday was one to remember.
“I can picture it all so clearly in my mind, and I know in my heart next weekend there’ll be great celebrations up in heaven.
“To mark Amelia’s 10th birthday, to remember her in a special way my project this year is called ‘Amelia’s Flight of Hope’.”
The four-day event will take place in The Mullan Hope Centre, Moville, from Thursday, October 5 to Sunday, October 8, and all monies raised over the four days will be going to the RNLI charity.
“My beautiful little girl shares her name with an amazing woman called Amelia Earhart. The four-day event is geared towards people of all ages, from the very young to the not so young.
“For kids, it’s about educating them them about this amazing woman Amelia Earhart, who saw no boundaries. Ninety-one years ago she flew across the Atlantic , landing very close to here in Ballyarnett, County Derry, and showed what was possible if you put your mind to it.
“I know had things been different, I would have been telling my little lady to chase her dreams, to always believe and to know that anything was possible if she put her mind to it.
“For adults, the weekend is to inspire one to chase their dreams, to believe in themselves and to know that anything is possible.”
More details will be released soon.
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