Antrim mum's heartache after son dies suddenly while watching TV

A Co Antrim woman who found her son's lifeless body at home, has vowed to raise awareness after his death.

In 2010, Eleanor Abbott tragically lost her husband, Hunter, to cancer. Amidst this challenge, she experienced another devastating loss with the sudden passing of her son, Gareth.

But in the wake of these tragedies, Eleanor found solace and purpose in her involvement with CRY Ireland, an organisation dedicated to preventing young sudden cardiac deaths through various initiatives.

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Speaking to Belfast Live, Eleanor said: "My husband had died with cancer and in June 2010 and he was only 63. One weekend, I was away doing a charity work for the Hospice and I came home to find that my only son, who was 36, had died while watching TV.

"Gareth was strong and healthy. He was a big guy, 6 ft tall. He was a motorbike enthusiast and would have watched his diet and his weight. About two days before he died, he said to me, 'mummy, I don't feel well'. He had pains in his stomach and I thought he had picked up a bug while we was in Holland.

"Two days before he died, my daughter had given birth to her second child. I had said to him, 'look, don't go near your sister who is home with a new baby and in case you give them something'. We certainly did not expect him to die.

"Here we were going from celebrating the birth of a new baby to be plunged into grief."

Eleanor said at the time of Gareth's sudden death, she didn't know anyone who had died in the same way. Her friend had been watching RTE, where Marie Greene spoke about the work of CRY Ireland.

"My friend rang me and she said she thought I would benefit from it - so I rang CRY Ireland. I rang their helpline and spoke to a lady called Elaine Whelan, and she was brilliant. I don't even know how she made out a word of mine, I was speaking through tears because I was totally heartbroken.

"She was so supportive and afterwords, texted me to make sure I was alright She then put me in touch with other mothers who had lost their sons. They could relate to me, and I could relate to them. They knew the exact pain I was going through."

Eleanor has since become a passionate volunteer for CRY, devoting herself to raising awareness and funds for this vital cause. Her recent endeavors include organising a fundraising concert in Killead, taking place this Saturday, the April 27, with half of the proceeds generously being donated by the church to support CRY's mission.

CRY Ireland is a self-supporting, Irish charity with the mission to facilitate access to all families in Ireland, both North and South, who have been affected by, or are at risk from, sudden cardiac death of a young person, or living with an inherited cardiac condition, to referred free clinical cardiac screenings and to offer emotional support services in an empathetic environment.

CRY Ireland provides a family support programme, offering free access to listening volunteers, mentors and bereavement specialists. A part of this programme is the freephone CRY Helpline which provides callers with a caring listening ear.

You can reach the CRY Helpline in the Republic of Ireland at 1800 714 080 and in Northern Ireland at 00 44 8006 40 62 80. Contact details are also available on the CRY website - www.cry.ie

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