A split second can change your life forever. It is what happened to the Nagle family on April 16, 2019, when a tragic quad-bike accident took the life of their 13-year old son and beloved brother forever. He fought valiantly to stay alive but died a week later, on April 23, at Temple Street Children’s Hospital.
It has been two years since we lost Ryan, but the pain continues. Unfortunately, time doesn’t change or lessen the loss of a child,” said mom Irene.
“As a parent and family you feel lost in yourself, and the reality is that the world keeps on moving when all you want to do is stop time and have your child back.”
And, unfortunately, time has not stood still as last Sunday, August 8, would have been Ryan Nagle’s 16th birthday and a special occasion in the household.
His family had to mark the milestone birthday, with Ryan in their hearts, through Ryan’s Motor Memorial Run to raise funds for Pieta House – a charity close to the family’s heart and which has helped Irene though her darkest days over the past two years as she and the family learned to live with the loss of Ryan from their lives.
For Irene and Ryan’s dad, Brian, April 2019 will never be forgotten. They never dreamed that they would have to face the loss of a son following the tragic accident on a farm neighbouring Irene’s parents and Ryan’s grandparents.
“I was travelling to Crumlin Children’s Hospital with Gearóid, who has a heart condition, on the day. I received a call from my sister on the way to Dublin to say there had been an accident,” recalled Irene this week.
Ryan’s passing has changed the lives of Irene, Brian and their three other children – Jack (19), Chloe (17), Gearóid (6) – forever, and Irene is urging parents to think about the dangers of quad bikes.
Her advice, she hopes, might just help save even one life.
“We feel that children under 18 should not be allowed near these powerful, heavy machines that are quad bikes,” she said.
“I encourage parents to think twice and be aware of the dangers. If they come down on top of you as they did on Ryan, the likelihood is that you will be injured or even die, as Ryan did.
“It takes a few minutes to think about what might go wrong. Unfortunately, if it does go wrong, life will change forever, as it did for us.”
Describing her son this week, Irene said he was a ‘remarkable’ boy that, despite his young age, had lived a full life centred around farming and his love of all vehicles and machinery, both vintage and modern.
“Ryan was a happy-go-lucky young boy. He was remarkable, he worked very hard for farmers. His hobbies were farming and buying and selling cars for profit,” she said.
“He would work day and night as long as it involved farming. He really wanted to pursue his life in farming. He had started buying his own sheep and was hoping to grow his flock along with many other animals.”
It was fitting, so, that on Sunday last, on Ryan’s 16th birthday, Ryan’s Motor Memorial Run took place to remember the young man from Castlemaine and to raise funds for Pieta House.
“I was in a very happy, stable place before my son’s death. Pieta supported me through my toughest, darkest days. I am not saying I still don’t have tough days, but Pieta taught me coping skills to get me through those dark days. It is okay not to be okay,” Irene said.
“I would encourage anyone to reach out for help if you are feeling low or in a dark place. Pieta can give you hope.”
Indeed, the balloon arch by Secret Ballons in place at Milltown Mart – the start point of the Memorial run – marked ‘Hope’ for all those who passed through it .
“Looking back now, we really hadn’t a clue what was happening around us,” Irene said.
“I was in shock and in a very dark place. I couldn’t understand why my boy had lost his life. I wanted to swap places with him. My heart is broken for the wonderful future he was planning.”
However, Ryan’s legacy will help others by sourcing the funding needed to provide free counselling to those in need, just as Irene and her family needed support following the tragic death of Ryan.
Almost €25,000 has been raised for Pieta, and this will provide up to 20 free counselling services for 25 people and help them come out of their dark place.
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