Mags Gargan
The mother of two young boys killed by their older brother who then took his own life has spoken of how her faith has helped her cope with the tragic loss and led her to forgiveness.
Jonathan O’Driscoll (21) killed his twin brothers, Thomas and Patrick (9), in their home in Charleville, Co. Cork last year. He then took own life less than an hour later.
“It hard for anyone to say their children are dead, the way they died, it is even harder when one of your own done it and all down to the fact of him being sick,” said Helen O’Driscoll.
Speaking to the Late Late Show on the first anniversary of her terrible loss, she explained that Jonathan suffered from schizophrenia, depression and paranoia and had stopped taking his medication a week before the tragedy.
Describing how she found great solace in her faith, Mrs O’Driscoll said she forgave Jonathan because she knew he didn’t mean to hurt his brothers. “If he was in his right mind he would never have hurt a hair on their heads. I know in my heart and soul he would not hurt the boys. They are all gone together and I have as much pain in my heart for John as I do for my twins,” Mrs O’Driscoll said.
Sending out a message to anyone struggling with mental health issues, Mrs O’Driscoll appealed for them to seek help. “There is help out there if you are feeling down or in a black hole that you didn’t like coming out of anymore. The first step is always going to be the hardest. If you look for help, you have some chance for a kind of a life, but if you don’t it could be your mother sitting here broken hearted in 12 months’ time,” she said.
