Local mum raises thousands in memory of beloved son 

On the 2nd of March 2013, Keelan Mullan was tragically killed in a road traffic collision when his car hit black ice. He was 17 years old.

Ten years on, his mother Debbie, has raised thousands of pounds in his memory as his legacy lives on.

Mum of four, Debbie, walked 120km of the famous 500 mile Camino Walk in Spain. Over £4,500 was raised and every penny was donated to NI charity Life After- a charity which helps families grieving the loss of a loved one killed in a road traffic accident.

Debbie explained that the trek, which took four and a half days, was in memory of Keelan but to also to help her in her own healing journey.

Debbie explained: "This walk was part of my ongoing healing process from losing someone so important in my life, who still is. We want to keep his memory alive.

"I was inspired by one of my clients who walked the whole Camino walk and what he got from it spiritually and emotionally. 

"I am just so overwhelmed by everyone's generosity, especially ten years on. The whole idea of doing the Camino Walk was, as a family, to remember Keelan and the life he lived.  

"The words of support, comfort and encouragement that people were giving me were amazing. People really kept me going from the training here to the foot cramps during the final walk. 

"We wanted to do something that will help other people and Life After is a charity very close to my own heart- it was the right choice to raise money for them in memory of Keelan.

"Their whole ethos is there is life after loss. We have to try and switch from the awful traumatic experience that they died to the fact they lived and to celebrate their lives. The charity provides so many people with hope and light."

Debbie pictured in Spain at the end of her 120km trek to raise funds in Keelan's memory

Life After is a charity founded in Derry by Christopher Sherrard who sadly lost his father in August 2016 after he was killed by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel.

Christopher wanted to start the charity as bereaved families realised there were no proper support packages in place for those who had lost loved ones as the charity also fights for change, justice and safer roads.

They are a community organisation that aims to help and support people who have lost loved ones as a result of a road traffic collision and to raise awareness of the effects of road death.

Six years on, the charity supports 225 families across the North and border towns as well as a family in America who sadly lost their loved one on our roads.

Debbie works alongside Christopher to provide support to grieving families who have lost a loved one in a road traffic accident, "For me, I didn't have Life After when Keelan died and that is why I am so happy to be a part of the charity from its conception; we do not want another family having to negate this journey on their own. 

"We're coming from a lived experience and it is something that no one could fathom what it would be like until you are in similar shoes to ours. It is an experience that you wouldn't wish on anyone. 

"You become part of a unique club and you gain a membership that no one will ever want. You never sign up for it. But, when you find yourself in this club, it is about supporting people in a similar situation because that is where you will find a way to cope and move forward and the strength to do so.

"Losing Keelan was so life altering. Anyone who has been bereaved in similar circumstances has two choices- you either lie down to it and simply exist and go through life that way or, you fight. 

"You fight until you can get your head above that water and you start living again. It is harder to live a life when that person is not right beside you, but it is not impossible. 

"That is where Life After also comes into play- the strength, courage and support they provide to get people to that place. There is power in bringing people together and telling their story and there is healing in being heard and understood."

Debbie said listening to others who have lost their loved ones in similar circumstances, especially their children, helps her and the family to heal and live their lives after the sudden loss of Keelan.

Keelan was the oldest of four siblings and the only boy. His sisters are now 25, 21 and 18 and were deeply affected by the loss of their brother.

Debbie with her four kids- Keelan and his sisters, Decla, Hannah and Mia

"They were so young when we lost Keelan, my youngest was only seven," Debbie explained. "It has changed their lives forever and the dynamics of the family. My oldest daughter felt that she had to be the oldest of the family and she took on that responsibility. It was not something that was pushed upon her but that role was also something that she probably never saw herself in.

"As a family, we all still talk about Keelan everyday; there is never a day that we don't find a way to acknowledge him. He is still very much in our daily lives and we keep his memory alive. It helps us all as when we talk about him and share about him, he hasn't really left us.

"I am still a mum of four. They still have a brother called Keelan. He is just not with them anymore in body but he is most definitely with us in spirit. We work hard to keep him with us, it is so important. We still celebrate his birthday with a cake- he is too precious to forget and we have to celebrate the day he came into the world."

Debbie said that others often worry that mentioning Keelan would upset her or the family but the most upsetting thing to her would be people not telling their stories of him. Debbie loves to hear memories of her son and the impact he had on so many lives.

"Not speaking about him would be like he never lived. That would hurt more. He never leaves our brain, we want to talk about him and share things about him. If he was still alive, it would be the same. He is just with us in a different way.

"I don't get upset when people tell me stories of him- it makes me smile. I want to hear people talk about him, the things he loved and what he loved about life. It makes my heart happy and gives me such a warm feeling. 

"I get great comfort in talking to Keelan's friends and finding out what they are doing in life. I know Keelan would want me to be asking and to be happy for them all. 

"Keelan had such a caring nature- he lives on in many of us. We have adopted so many of his mannerisms and things he would have done, we also now do automatically. It makes us better people. 

"When this happened, I took a step back from life. It truly shows you what matters in life. All the things you used to get yourself in a tizz about really are irrelevant these days; it is all about celebrating life at every opportunity. We must make the best of what we have been given."

Debbie told stories of her son, a typical 17 year old with big plans for his future. She explained that his life revolved around school, his weekend job, Gaelic football, his friends and Xbox.

"He was an A level student, studying engineering and wanted to do that as a career- he planned to study it at university. His job was a bar man in the Classic Restaurant in Limavady; he loved it. It gave him so much confidence as he started to step out into his own wee life. He played Gaelic football for his local team- St Matthew's. He was no different to any teenager at that time. It was not a time of social media. He loved hanging out with his friends and loved the group of friends that he had.

"I probably didn't realise how well known Keelan was and how loved he was until he passed. We were so overwhelmed with the outpouring of love at the time. There was so much love poured out from our village, Drumsurn, and the extended community for Keelan and also to us as a family. He is a great loss to so many people."

Keelan passed his driving test on February 1st of 2013- on Debbie's birthday. He sadly lost his life just a month later. Debbie said ten years on, she hopes everyone still remembers her beloved son with a smile.

Debbie continued: "When the 10 year anniversary was approaching, it was such a milestone and coming into those double numbers, I was dreading it.

Every year, you are always fighting. People move on with their lives and I suppose as a mammy you are frightened that people forget that he even lived. 

"It was a tragic accident that took his life far too soon. We have to live our best lives because Keelan didn't get that opportunity. We will meet him someday and I don't want him to be upset with his mammy if I've wasted my life. I don't want to let him down.  

"Keelan was the child that made me a mum and he brought so much to my world and he still does. Even in his death, he is still very much part of me and who I am. There is always something to be taken from the personalities of those that have gone before us and if we can tap into that, we can create a memory that is life-lasting. It is their legacy."