‘An angel in life and death’: Donegal family remember son to promote organ donation
Cormac Kerrigan from Muff passed away three years ago, and his organs helped save lives after his sudden death at just 17 years old
Fiona Kerrigan, from Muff, is sharing her family’s profound story during Organ Donor Awareness Week in the hope of encouraging more people to talk about organ donation and to honour the memory of her beloved son, Cormac.
Cormac passed away three years ago, and his organs helped save lives after his sudden death at just 17 years old. He was at school in Little Angels Special School in Letterkenny when he collapsed after suffering a heart attack.
“While we were in the ICU, we saw a poster about organ donation,” Fiona says. Unlike the other health information posters, this one had a picture of a sunset and the caption read ‘organ donation, have you considered this?. We were so traumatised by what had happened to Cormac, sitting in the ICU, the doctor's words bouncing off our heads and not registering with us. I just kept looking at the picture of the sunset.
“We thought about it, and we knew it was the right thing to do. Cormac had healthy organs, and we felt, why not help someone else?”
The family made the courageous decision to donate Cormac’s organs, resulting in his lungs and two kidneys helping to save and transform three lives.
Now, Fiona shares that while they miss Cormac every single day, they take comfort in knowing that part of him lives on through others.
“We are very proud of him and his legacy,” she says. “Cormac didn't need his organs in heaven, but through donation, he has helped other people and their families.”
The Kerrigan family later received an anonymous letter from one of the organ recipients sent through the transplant and donor coordinators, a moment they describe as “very emotional and comforting”.
“To hear from someone whose life had changed because of Cormac meant so much to us,” Fiona says.
Cormac was much-loved by his family, including his 24-year-old sister Luci and 22-year-old brother Ronan and parents Fiona and Michael, as well as his “other family” at Little Angels Special School.
Fiona adds: “Cormac was an angel in life and in death,” a sentiment that has brought comfort to his family and all those who knew him as his legacy continues through organ donation.
Fiona shared how her youngest son had an assistance dog called Gael from The Irish Guide Dogs for the blind. “Gael was a lifeline for Cormac and for us”. Fiona continues to honour Cormac’s memory through puppy raising for Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.
In October 2023, Fiona and Michael attended the annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving for organ donors, organised by the Irish Kidney Association.
The special annual gathering, which draws a congregation of over a thousand from all over Ireland, gave them an opportunity to remember Cormac alongside other donor families and to reflect on the lives he helped save through organ donation. In the first year following Cormac’s passing, his father Michael took part in a symbolic procession carrying the Book of Remembrance, a roll of honour in which organ donors’ names are inscribed, to the altar.
During Organ Donor Awareness Week, Fiona is supporting the campaign which encourages families to have conversations about organ donation and to let loved ones know their wishes.
“If you die in circumstances where organ donation is possible and you can help others, I think it’s a wonderful thing to do,” Fiona explained. “It's not easy to think of something like organ donation while your loved one is on life support, but we knew Cormac wasn't getting better. One person can change so many lives. If Cormac's life could have been saved by receiving an organ transplant, our lives would be very different.”
Organ Donor Awareness Week (16-23 May) highlights the importance of organ donation and the lives that can be transformed through the generosity of donors and their families. The lifesaving awareness campaign is organised by the Irish Kidney Association in collaboration with Organ Donation Transplant Ireland (ODTI).
The campaign is centred around the clear message: “Don’t leave your loved ones in doubt. Share your wishes about organ donation.”