Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust helps 60 grieving Irish families
The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust has been responsible for helping grieving families bring home the bodies of 60 loved ones in the last 19 months.
Kevin died in New York after a hit and run incident
Popular 26 year old Newry man Kevin Bell was killed in a hit and run incident in New York in June 2013 and the fund was set up initially to bring Kevin back home.
Article continues below
Money left over was then used to help other families across Ireland – North and South – to repatriate the bodies of loved ones.
Speaking to BBC NI, Kevin’s father Colin Bell, said the fund was ‘Kevin’s legacy’. “It was started by the people of Newry involved with the GAA to bring Kevin home.
“And the funds left over have been used to help people who were in the same situation as us, who lost their loved ones abroad, to take some of the stress away for them.”
Colin revealed that this week alone, the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust is helping four families. “We take everybody home. We’ve taken people to the Falls Road, the Shankill Road, it’s not just for people in the GAA community.
“We understand that people want to get their loved ones home as quickly as possible. It’ll not bring Kevin back, but it will be his legacy,” Colin added.
Kevin Bell’s father said the Trust was his son’s legacy
SDLP Newry and Armagh Representative Justin McNulty congratulated The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust for its incredible work.
Justin said, “The heartache that the Bell family suffered in June 2013 when Kevin was fatally injured in New York in a suspected hit-and-run, was compounded by the many challenges of repatriating his body.
“The GAA Community and wider community supported the family to allow them to bring Kevin home with the dignity and respect that he deserved. That has since inspired the Bell family to set up the Trust which has helped 60 families since.
“That is a fitting legacy for Kevin and shows the good that can come out of such heartbreaking tragedy. I congratulate all involved in the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust and I have no doubt that the Trust will bring much comfort to grieving families across Ireland for many years to come,” Justin added.
Newry man Paul Lambert dies in road accident in America
£16,500: Newry community rallies in support of Kevin Bell Repatriation Run
Newry united in grief: £42,000 raised in Kevin Bell fundraiser
Death of popular Newry man Kevin Bell stuns local community
Repatriation Run and fundraising in memory of Kevin Bell
For more of today’s top stories in Newry and beyond, click here.
Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=49454
Posted by Newry Times News
on Feb 27 2015. Filed under Community, News.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
