The funerals of cousins Ashley Donohue (22) and Olivia Burke (21) took place yesterday, and their families issued a statement thanking everyone for their support as they vowed to "fight to make changes" so no family has to go through what they did.
They wrote:
“The family want everyone to know and understand that Ashley and Olivia were two intelligent talented and hard- working women. They had bright futures ahead of them."
“We will fight to make changes so that no family will ever have to go through what we have been through for the past five days which has changed our lives forever. Our daughters and all the other students were responsible young adults who were celebrating their friend’s 21st birthday in what they felt was a safe environment. Unfortunately that turned to tragedy through no fault of their own."
During the ceremony of the two students, Monsignor Dan Whelton told the congregation a story of how Ashley’s mother, Jackie, found the two girls lying together that night.
"Jackie told me a beautiful little story about how she received the tragic news of the death of Ashley and the death of Olivia. She went down to Berkeley and as she saw the bodies they were holding each other,” he said.
"They weren’t twins but they were very close. Ashley went back and forward to Ireland and in life they were like twins and in death they are together too."
The families of Lorcán Miller, Eimear Walsh, Eoghan Culligan and Niccolai Schuster, who are expected to return to Ireland today, Father’s Day, released a statement late last night thanking everybody, especially their children’s friends, for their support:
"As we leave Berkeley and return home to Ireland with our beloved sons and daughters, Eimear, Eoghan, Lorcán and Niccolai, we would like to thank everyone in America and Ireland for their sympathy and support, which has been a tremendous comfort to us at this tragic time. Particularly we thank the local authorities, emergency services, medical staff, parishes and communities of Berkeley. In addition we are forever grateful to the Irish Consul, Philip Grant, and his local team, and also the amazing service and support received from Aer Lingus, the Department of Foreign Affairs, US Ambassador Anne Anderson, and a special appreciation to Minister Deenihan.
We cannot thank enough the students that were in the apartment and apartment complex that night. The manner and speed at which they reached out to our families, to our Consul, and to each other was faultless. Our children were extraordinarily blessed in their friends and we are enormously proud of them. The sympathy and responses of friends of our sons and daughters, the wider group of students on J1 visas and the program’s sponsoring Agencies (USIT, SAYIT, CIEE and InterExchange) is a testament to their popularity, and to the closeness of these groups from school and university.
The Irish communities of the Bay Area - coordinated by Fr Brendan McBride, Fr Aidan McAleenan, Celine Kennelly and their colleagues at the Irish Immigration and Pastoral Centre - have been a constant source of support and comfort. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Donohue family and Ashley, who was laid to rest today in Sonoma, and with Aoife, Clodagh, Connor, Hannah, Jack, Sean and Niall who remain in hospital and with their families, we wish them a speedy recovery.
We very much appreciate the support and sympathy that has been expressed, but now we ask for privacy so that we can mourn the sudden and tragic passing of our beloved sons and daughters, with the dignity that they deserve."
