A Laois family are embarking on a skydive in a wonderful fundraising event to honour the memory of their husband and father, Mr Anthony Walsh.
Husband to Irene and father to Ellen, Laura, and Tony, Mr Walsh suffered a sudden stroke in 2023.
He was rushed to Portlaoise Hospital and then transferred to Tallaght Hospital by the Portlaoise Ambulance Service.
Despite the efforts of the staff at Tallaght’s Stroke Unit, Mr Walsh sadly passed away on December 5.
The Walsh family from The Heath have taken it upon themselves to undertake a group skydive to raise funds for the “amazing” Portlaoise Ambulance Service and the “tremendous” Stroke Unit at Tallaght Hospital.
Remembering the life-changing days of December 2023, the Walsh family said: “During this heart-breaking time, the compassion and dedication of the medical teams not only ensured Anthony received the best possible care, but also gave us strength and support when we needed it most.
“To honour Anthony’s memory and express our deepest gratitude, we are raising funds for the Stroke Unit at Tallaght Hospital and for the Portlaoise Ambulance Service.
“As a family, we will be doing a skydive together in his memory, a way to honour his adventurous spirit and give back to those who were there for him and for us when we needed it most.
“Thank you for helping us honour Anthony’s memory and for supporting the incredible teams at Tallaght Hospital and the Portlaoise Ambulance Service, whose care and dedication meant so much to us.”
The Walsh family have set up a fundraising page with iDonate, where people can add to the growing figure already raised, which currently stands at over €7,000.
Reflecting on the amount raised already, daughter Ellen said the family are ‘completely blown away’.
She said: “We are completely blown away by the outpouring of support for our fundraiser and just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who’s donated, shared, or sent kind words our way.
“Raising over €5000 in just one day has truly exceeded anything we could have hoped for, and it’s a testament to Dads character.
“The generosity we’ve seen is incredible and speaks volumes about the impact he had on so many people’s lives.
“We’re so grateful and we’d love to keep it going, so please continue to spread the word! Thank you, Irene, Ellen, Laura and Tony.”
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