Sir, – I buried my mother in Dublin last week.
Her quality of life had become poor over her last two years as she struggled to overcome the effects of smoking on her eyesight, lungs and heart.
But the people of Dublin noticed and did not stand back: bus drivers on the 75 and 16A routes got out of their buses and walked her across to her little apartment in Nutgrove Court; some even helped her up the steps and into her little home. Three complete strangers, her “three angels”, did her shopping, her washing, her ironing, took her to get her silver hair done every week and took her on her more frequent, but always reluctant (for her), visits to her doctor and hospitals. Her local pharmacy in Rathfarnham let her rest in the shop and often took her across to the bus stop or arranged a lift home.
We had a lovely last day and we changed our plans to bring her over to me in the UK, (she was only doing that to make it easy for me) and she said, “I don’t want to die in England”. She went to sleep happy with that decision and did not wake up.
Thank you so much to the many random strangers who did so much for my mother at her time of need. To those I know, I have shown, and will always show, my appreciation; this letter is also for those I do not know. – Yours, etc,