This is a photo that I took as I happened to be walking past St. John the Baptist church in Blackrock this morning. A funeral was taking place inside and as you can see, it was overflowing. There are at least 150 persons standing outside not able to fit inside this church that holds perhaps 350 or more inside...
It's a very tragic and sad story.
I will simply provide the following news item printed in The Irish Times last Friday February 4th.
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"A 45-year-old pedestrian died last night when she was hit by a tree that blew over in high winds in Dublin.
Gardaí said the mother-of-three was pronounced dead in hospital a short time after the accident at about 5pm yesterday on Waterloo Road, Dublin 4 near the junction with Upper Baggot Street.
An off-duty member of Dublin Fire Brigade who was near the scene contacted Donnybrook Fire Station and two units arrived withing minutes. She gave medical attention to the woman, who was taken to St Vincent's Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
A car was also crushed by the tree when it fell across the road. Nobody in the car was injured.
The tragedy happened as Met Éireann issued a weather warning and forecast strong to near gale force and gusty south-westerly winds across the capital.
Gusts are also expected to reach between 80 and 95 km/h in exposed areas today.
Motorists were also warned that very blustery conditions were causing problems for road users. AA Roadwatch said high sided vehicles, motorbikes and cyclists were urged to take extra care."
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It makes me think about the extreme vulnerability of life.
None of us knows when we will die. We all make plans for the future and hope to do things "one of these days." That day may not come and it certainly won't for this woman, Lynda Collins.
She would have turned 46 the very next day, on Friday.
What if she had been delayed, even by 5 seconds, at a crosswalk? Would this have been difference between life and death?
What if she was rushing to catch a bus or the DART or was delayed in leaving work for some reason? Could this have been the difference between life and death?
What if she had to park her car a block farther away than normal and had to walk down a street that she normally doesn't travel on, except for this one day, at this particular instant? Could this have been the difference between life and death?
Nobody will ever know the reason for such a freak accident as this.
She left behind a husband and three children aged 14, 13, and 7, the youngest suffering from epilepsy.
What we can do is offer a prayer for this woman and her grieving family...
