Bereaved Drumbaragh family fundraising for Kevin Bell Trust

The heartbroken mother of a young Drumbaragh man who took his own life in Cambodia late last year has praised a charity that was "a beacon of hope in a time of pain."

Wayne Meegan (38), tragically passed away whilst living in the south east Asian country leaving behind his devastated family including parents, Bernie and Michael, and siblings Laura, Amanda, Karen, Stephen and Mike.

Bernie says the help they received from the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, an organisation that helped to repatriate Wayne home earlier this year, made a painful time easier to cope with. As a way of giving back, the Meegan family has organised a golf classic fundraising event on Friday 30th September at The Headfort Golf Club for the trust.

Keen traveller Wayne made his way to Cambodia in January 2020 and although planned to move on, was forced to remain there as Covid took hold of the world.

He loved to experience new cultures, according to Bernie, who said that whenever asked where Wayne was in the world, she would have to stop and think. The globetrotter last spoke to his parents on 19th December 2021, sadly less than 48 hours later they received the tragic news every parent dreads.

"Every day is a survival day since Wayne passed away," said Bernie. "It's been nine months now. I don't know how we got this far. I didn't think we'd be able to survive nine days, nine minutes without him. But you do get strength, we have a great family. I'm able to get up, I'm able to go to work but every day is a survival day because your life is never the same.

"I think Covid had a big effect on Wayne. He was only meant to be in Cambodia for three weeks but he ended up being there nearly two years. We had a beautiful family Christmas together in 2019, our last all together.

"He was meant to come home to us early this year which is the heart-breaking part, sadly that never happened.

"Wayne was the eldest of six and family was so important to him. Maybe he just missed us so much. He didn't tell us, he didn't want to worry us."

The Drumbaragh woman says that Wayne was in good spirits when she last spoke to her son on 19th December and could never have imagined that just two days later he would be gone.

"Myself and Wayne's dad spoke to him in a video call and he was in great form. That was the hard part, we didn't know he was struggling. I always think that it is the family who is the last to know when there is something wrong.

"On 21st December we got the earth shattering news that was Wayne was gone. It changes your life from that moment on. To see my other children going through the pain and the anguish is heart-breaking. They have been outstanding young women and men, we are so proud of them.

"We are all a good team together, we pull together but it is very hard, sometimes I think it gets harder as time goes on."

Bernie encourages anyone who is struggling with their mental health to seek help. She added: "Speak to your loved ones, speak to your family, there is so much help out there. Too many families are going through and will go through this sadly.

"I would have gone through hell and high water to save him if I had only known. If you are worried about a person in your family, talk to them, it's the only way."

Bernie credits a suicide bereavement support group called HUGG in helping her to cope with the immense loss and also says Pieta House have been there for her and her family. The grieving mum takes comfort in the fact that her son had such a fulfilling life as she explains: "He was just such a lovely, gorgeous young man, it's just so cruel, it is such a loss of life. There wasn't a part of the world he hadn't travelled. He got along with all cultures and made friends everywhere he went. He had a very fulfilling short life.

"So many of the people who knew Wayne reached out to us since he passed including Cambodian people, his friends and his boss who came to see us in May. His friend living in England came to see us too. People have been so good to us."

Bernie says there is so much she misses about Wayne not least his loving nature.

"I miss the banter, we was always a great lad for banter and for fun. He had the best bear hug. And the love, he'd never go off the phone without saying I love you mam."

To donate to the fundraiser search ‘Kevin Bell Fundraiser - In Memory of Wayne Meegan’ on www.gofundme.com