The father of Patrick Friel Curran, the popular young Derry man who died in America last week, has thanked the people of “this amazing city” for the support and generosity shown to the family.
Patrick’s remains being taken from the family home yesterday.
Patrick died suddenly in a New York Hospital on Tuesday last. Almost immediately numerous fundraising events were set up on both sides of the Atlantic to help the family finance the return of his remains to Derry.
Patrick’s remains were brought on Friday last. He was laid to rest in the City Cemetery yesterday following Requiem Mass in the Holy Family Church, Ballymagroarty, close to the family home in The Branch.
Before the funeral service, Patrick’s family had revealed the amount raised far exceeded what was required. During Requiem Mass, Fr Christopher Ferguson, a former curate of Holy Family, told mourners the excess money was to go towards the building of a school in India in Patrick’s memory.
Today, Patrick’s heartbroken father, Damien, thanked the people of Derry for their generosity.
In a message posted on Patrick Friel Curran Memorial Facebook page – set up to help raise funds – Damien said the excess money would be donated to local charity Action With Effect to build a school for “poor and destitute” children in India.
Damien says: “Hi folks, I just wanted to say how grateful to you and to the people of this amazing city. The pain of losing my beautiful son has been and will be the hardest thing I will ever have to go through.
“Patrick Friel Curran and I had an amazing relationship. We were both good friends and father and son. He inspired me to become the man that I am today – at one low stage of my life being my reason for living. You mean so much to me.
“I have been talking to a lot of people and close friends and family over this past week – their support in getting him home has well exceeded the costs of bringing him home. I hope to use these funds in his honour by building a school for the poor and destitute children of India through a local charity called Action With Effect.
“There are still a number of events organised by people around the city and I, as his father, would be grateful to you in supporting this great cause. As this would be of great comfort for me to know that his legacy would live on. Thanks again, Derry.”
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