'John will be cheering on his team’
John Leo, 12, died instantly when he fell under a lorry as it drove from the site of a house which was being demolished at Whitecross Gardens, Moyross. The accident happened a short distance from his home.
After identifying the body of his son at the morgue in the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, John Leo Snr
returned home and started another sad task.
He said yesterday: “I took down the green and white bunting he helped me put up along the front of the house to support the Limerick hurlers on Sunday.
“He was into all kinds of sport. He was looking forward so much to the game. Instead his coffin will lay in Corpus Christi church as the funeral Mass won’t take place until Monday.
“To be honest I don’t think I will be able to watch the match. This was meant to be a special weekend. Now it is the worst as we get ready to lay him to rest. But I’m sure John will be up there cheering on the team.”
John was due to start secondary school at St Nessan’s College yesterday.
Holding back tears, his fatherdad said: “On Wednesday night he tried on his new school uniform. He came down the stairs delighted with himself. He asked me, ‘How do I look?’
“He had his hair done up in gel. He loved himself like that.
“Sure everybody loved John. He played soccer with Moyross and Balla and he was a mad Liverpool fan.”
John’s mother, Sheila, was yesterday being consoled by neighbours.
The couple have an older son, Dean, 15.
A neighbour said: “We get more than our share of tragedy here. But the decent people around here are the best in the world. True community spirit comes out at times like this.”
The removal of John Leo’s remains will take place this evening from Cross’s funeral home to Corpus Christi Church at 7pm and the funeral mass will be at 11am on Monday.
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