Family member of M9 survivors is ‘overwhelmed by kindness and goodness of people’

A FAMILY member of the four people who were seriously injured in the horrific M9 crash has said she is horrified by negative online commentary surrounding the incident but simultaneously “overwhelmed with the kindness and the goodness of people”.

Over €740,000 was raised for the Kinsella/Hendrick family last week after people rushed to show their support and sympathy for them when news of the accident broke. Thousands of comments flooded social media about the accident in which five teenagers were killed.

Speaking exclusively to  The Nationalist, an aunt of the family, Elizabeth Alcock, urged people not to engage or argue with negative comments about the accident. She suggested that people “use the time to pray instead” to ensure the quick and full recovery of the family.

Alma and Niamh Kinsella, aged in their 30s, Ella Hendricken, aged in her 20s, and Alma’s son, Yemi (7) were critically injured in a crash on the M9 at around 3am on Sunday 16 August. The family are originally from the Bennekerry area and then moved to Graiguecullen. They were travelling to Dublin airport and onwards to England to attend a family wedding when they were involved in a head-on collision in which the teenagers were killed.

The teenagers were travelling in a BMW car in the wrong direction on the M9 carriageway at Moone, Co Kildare, in an attempt to evade gardaí, when they collided with a Hyundai Tucson car containing the three sisters and Alma’s son. The boys – Alex McCarthy (16) and Jeremy O’Brien (18) both from Carlow, Joey Carthy (15) and Jack Kennedy (17) both from Athy, and Kamil Pustkowski (17), who lived in Dublin and Limerick – died instantly.

The women’s family are still trying to come to terms with what happened.

“I thought they were dead last Sunday. I was just expecting a call back. It was so serious,” said Elizabeth.

“Unfortunately, at this stage we can only say what the doctors are telling us and it is that the girls are in very, very serious condition,” she continued.

“Long term, nothing can be said; it's only been a week since the crash where they got all these horrific injuries and bit by bit every day is bringing a tiny new little bit of progress in the eyes of the medical staff.” The family remains positive, with Elizabeth saying the fact that the girls are in critical condition “is a good sign. It means they're alive.” Her grandnephew Yemi is understood to have sustained multiple injuries but to be in a stable condition.

Negative comments swirling around online have heaped grief upon grief for the family. “I am suffering with such profound sadness at the whole event,” said Elizabeth. “Because so many lives have been affected, so many families have been affected.” “And as far as our family is concerned, we're focusing on the girls getting better. The last thing on our minds is looking at anything on social media. The only news that they are taking in is from whatever the doctors can pass on,” said Elizabeth.

She asked people not to share negative posts they come across and instead to engage with positive comments that can “evoke a sense of calm and peace to all those affected”.

In asking for patience from the public while the family recovers, she thanked the public unreservedly for their support over the past ten days.

“We were absolutely overwhelmed with the good wishes, the kind wishes and the care and concern of all those people who have been in contact and also their offers of help are just incredible.” Elizabeth said she was “blown away” by the kindness of Ella’s friend Brian Curley, who set up a GoFundMe page for the three women, and the generous donations of strangers that have raised over €740,000 to support the family in their recovery.

She also thanked the “exceptional” emergency staff and gardaí who responded to the incident, whom, she acknowledged, will be affected by it for the rest of their lives “and yet, risked limb and arm to try and save people.” While they wait for more news, many in the family are “praying like we never prayed in our lives before”. Elizabeth appreciated the “beautiful” vigil held in St Clare’s Church last week during which the Carlow and Graiguecullen communities offered up their prayers to the girls and young Yemi.

“Prayer is helping,” said Elizabeth.