The country has been reeling following the tragic passing of 14-year-old Elisha Gault. The young girl’s body was found in the River Suir following an eight-day search.
The devastating loss of Elisha has caused huge heartache for her family, especially her mum Grainne Gault, who penned an emotional open letter about her daughter’s death today.
She thanked everyone involved in the extensive search, “Getting our baby back was the greatest gift you could have given us, so we can lay our beautiful wee angel to rest.”
The mum also asked the public to pay no attention to negative comments, “They need our sympathy, not our reactions.”
She explained that mental health is a global issue that affects everyone, “Mental health is a serious and desperate issue that has gripped not only our country but it's an epidemic all over the world.”
Grainne hopes that in the future we can be more open-minded and positive about disorders including depression and anxiety, “We need to learn a better way, we need compassion and understanding.”
She added, “We need to let go of the negativity and fill our hearts with love and laughter.”
The mum shared that her daughter faced many personal issues in her life, “My gorgeous beautiful Elisha had a genuine soul but she was a troubled girl, for reasons I won't discuss at this moment in time.”
“She had a very loving family, friends and Edge Ydp who done their utmost to heal and support her but unfortunately we were unsuccessful,” she continued.
The mum wrote, “I have a hole in my heart that will never be filled, we had the funniest moments as did anyone who knows her, she was her own person and I just wish we had the answer that could have gave her inner strength.”
Grainne went on to share Elisha’s funeral arrangements which will take place on Thursday, March 29, 2018.
“We will leave our home at 10 am. We will carry our baby girl; I carried her into the world and I will carry her out again. We will make our way up to Dillon Bridge, where we will take a moment to pause and reflect and anyone who likes can throw a white flower off the bridge in the river.”
The funeral mass will take place at 11 am at Piltown Church. Elisha will then be laid to rest in the cemetery adjacent.
The family have extended an invite to anyone who has been affected by Elisha Gault’s story to join them at the Swan Club in Carrick on Suir, which was the base for their search efforts.
