A MOTHER’S PLEA
Brendan Donnelly, 24, and his friend Lee Salkeld were killed by a drunk driver.
Speaking in court yesterday, Ms Donnelly made an appeal to anyone who gets behind the wheel of a car.
“I ring his old number by his resting place and listen to his voice telling me to leave a message that will never be answered.
“We appeal to anyone before they get behind the wheel of a car, life is so fragile. In the blink of an eye it can be snuffed out,” she said.
Lee Salkeld’s mother, Sandra Purcell, said suicidal thoughts are never far from her mind.
“Lee gave me so much purpose in life. He would always tell me I was the best mum in the world, as a child, a teenager and as a man.
“Since Lee was killed in such a cruel way I have been admitted to a psychiatric ward twice. The first time I attempted suicide,” she said.
Laura Connolly was driving the car on the night of the accident.
“My life changed forever. Brendan was my boyfriend and partner, the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. My final memory of him is holding up his dead body. I have lost my future. I lost the man I thought would be the father of my children.”
Kate Flynn, who was engaged to Lee Salkeld, was also in the car.
“Lee was going to be my husband. I will never get to say ‘I do’ to the love of my life and will never look into the face of the children we should and would have had. He [will] never play with Sasha Leigh (their daughter) again. He will never walk his daughter up the aisle.”
For no particular reason Lee Salkeld was adamant he would swap places in the car with Ms Flynn 10 minutes before the accident.
Anthony Long, aged 28, of Leadington, Leamlara, Co Cork, was sentenced by Judge Patrick J Moran to five years and disqualified from driving for 15 years at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday. He fled the scene of the crash.
