Geraldine Mullan has paid a heart-wrenching tribute to her late husband and children on their fourth anniversary.
Four years ago, on August 20, 2020, storm Ellen battered the county bringing with it strong winds and heavy rainfall.
At 10pm that evening, Ms Mullan, her husband, John (49) and their two children Tomás (14) and six-year-old Amelia were travelling back from a night out in Derry when their car skidded off the road and went into water at Quigley’s Point.
Tragically, her husband and two children lost their lives in the tragedy.
Taking to social media to mark their anniversary yesterday, Ms Mullan said her heart aches now just as much as it did four years ago.
“I know it will always ache with every heartbeat,” she said.
As she navigates through her grief journey, Ms Mullan spoke of the importance of having good friends and family around her.
“That has propped me up when I needed it most, held my hand, dried my tears, sat with me in silence and let me be me, whatever that may be with no judgement.
“There’s no right or wrong way to deal with grief.
“There’s no set path, it’s just a day at a time, sometimes hour by hour, and on days like today, especially, it’s moment to moment and simply putting one foot in front of the other and just breathe,” she said.
“The pain and heartache never go away,” she continued.
“It becomes part of who I am, and I will never get over it, I will just learn to live with it over time.
“Life goes on, and as a good friend told me last night, life is for living and my beloved John, Tomás and Amelia would want me to live life to the fullest.”
Last weekend, Ms Mullan took part in Extreme North Quadrathon in Inishowen.
The challenge involved four half marathons, over four consecutive days in four different parts of the Inishowen peninsula.
Ms Mullan underwent a combination of walking and running 13.1 miles over the four days.
“There were times I wanted to stop and give up because it was just too much, very much like my grief journey these past four years.
“But I didn’t, I just took it one step at a time.
“As I crossed that finish line on Sunday afternoon, I was doing it in their memory as everything I do now is for the four of us, but also for myself like they’d want me to.”
Walking the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ Boardwalk (Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail) in Fermanagh yesterday, Ms Mullan said they had planned to go as a family on the day of the tragic incident.
“At the top, I remembered your words Amelia about the four corners of my heart and how you, daddy and TT are in three corners so I placed my hand over my heart and held you all close.
“Wrap your arms around me from heaven above and continue to be by my side and in my heart.
“All my love.”
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