By Alan Rodgers
THE parents of young Ronan Wilson from Kildress whose death a year ago in Donegal stunned the local community say they will remember him in a very special way on his anniversary this weekend.
Ronan’s father, Dean and mother, Emma say the life of their nine-year-old son touched so many people, not least his school friends at St Mary’s Dunamore who visit his grave daily.
Dean and Emma are speaking publicly for the first time about their son ahead of the Ronan Wilson Memorial Truck and Car Run this weekend in aid of Air Ambulance NI and Kildress Health Matters.
Events will take place on Saturday September 21 and Sunday September 22, before Ronan’s anniversary Mass takes place on Monday night, September 23, in St Mary’s Church, Dunamore.
Last year, a man was charged with dangerous driving causing the death of the nine-year-old in Bundoran on September 23, 2023.
Emma and Dean say the past year since his death has been extremely difficult.
“The last year has been very tough,” his mother, Emma said.
“Seeing the kids go back to school and Ronan should have been there joining him was difficult. There’s different things that his friends are doing and he’s not here to join in.”
“Our memories of him will last forever. Last year, we went to to the Lammas Fair in Ballycastle and Ronan stood at the stall for an hour picking aftershave. The first day he went to school last September he wore the Aftershave and had the full bottle used during the first week back.”
Ronan’s father, Dean, says his son was a ‘special boy’who held his class together and was the ‘glue’ binding his teammates on the U-10 Kildress Wolfe Tones GAA team.
“You try not to remember what happened this time last year, but it’s very hard not to,” Mr Wilson added.
“The events of that night never leave your mind. They’re flashing all the time, and you have to deal with it.
“I know Ronan isn’t going to be here for this weekend, but there’s nothing we can do about that now. I felt his presence so much after his death and I’m told often how the parents of other children in his class see something happening ad they definitely say that it’s Ronan’s presence still being felt.”
“He was a great wee child. We never had a bit of bother from him. He was one of those children who was kind, shared and was always in great form. Ronan was everyone’s friend and he never fell out with anyone at school or at the football.”
Echoing her husband’s thoughts, Ronan’s mother, Emma, said a smile never left her precious nine year-old’s face. She paid tribute to the massive support which they have received from the local community at the time of the wake and funeral and during the intervening 12 months as well.
“There have been so many people who have helped us. This weekend is about thanking them in some small way. We want people to have fun and to remember Ronan,” she added.
“People were helping even before we returned from Bundoran after Ronan was killed. They got the house ready, prepared for the wake and funeral and did so many other things. We’ll never be able to thank them enough.”
“We have had friends coming every day or a couple of times each week to see that we’re alright. There’s just so many little things and we don’t realise how important they are for us.
“His school friends who were in the same class as Ronan visit his grave every day and that’s really special.
“He helped the girls out as well. If he saw a girl standing in the playground he would go over and ask them to play. He was the heart and soul of his class. Ronan was so good.”
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