‘I was at the graveside 24/7 for five years’

JOSETHINE WRIGHT was one of hundreds of mothers who attended a special Mass last night.

The Mass, at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, in Dublin’s north inner city, is held every year in memory of those who have died as a result of drugs.

The annual service, organised by the Citywide Family Support Network, is in its sixth year.

Josethine, like many of those who attended last night, still can’t come to terms with what happened to her son, 12 years on.

It was the night of November 15, 1992, when she last saw Gerard, aged 16.

“He was babysitting for me that night. When I came back he said he’d be back in five minutes and went out.

“The next morning the police came and said there had been a bad accident.

“I’d thought he was in a robbed car or something. Only later did they tell me he had committed suicide.”

Josethine was told Gerard had gone to the nearby forest, dragged the drum of a washing machine underneath a goal post and hung himself.

Josethine, from Blanchardstown, north-west Dublin, believes her son’s death was drug-related.

“I was told afterwards he owed £100 (145) for hash. He probably couldn’t get the £100 together and was afraid to tell me, that’s the only thing I can think of.”

Josethine said Gerard was a “happy go lucky” boy.

“He was a lovely boy, beautiful. He used to have girls knocking on the door 24/7 for him. He was also a long distance runner and a good artist.”

Gerard’s death had a traumatic effect on Josethine and the entire family.

“I was at the graveside 24/7 for five years, day in, day out. I ended up in a psychiatric hospital three different times.

“I tried to do myself in a good few times. I just wanted to be with Gerard.”

Her three other sons, aged 14, 15, and 16 at the time, started turning to drugs.

Her eldest son, 33, is an alcoholic. Her youngest son, 25, is in the throes of heroin addiction and had to be put out of the house.

Her other son, Darren, 26, is a former heroin addict and is on a methadone programme.

Her marriage broke up. Her husband, unable to take it, left.

But Josethine has kept going, largely, she said, due to her local support group.

“I don’t think I’d be here today if it were not for the Mountview-Blakestown Family Support Group.”

Josethine, who started smoking cigarettes again after Gerard’s death, has been off them for five weeks.

And her son Darren is on a rehabilitation course and is “doing very well”.

Yesterday he applied for a job in Cavan. “I’m lighting a candle beside me, praying he gets it.”

She feels Gerard is also playing a part.

“Darren said to me a while ago ‘I found my upper power’.

“I thought it was God he was talking about. I said ‘who?’. He said ‘Gerard’.”