‘He is doing unbelievably. It is down to his personality’

Cullen Kennedy brings more than a packed lunch when he goes to school every day.

The 10-year-old has to pack all his medication and a special ventilator as well as the normal load for a child attending primary school.

Once a lively boy, he is now confined to a wheelchair, on a ventilator and requiring 24-hour care. And he still does all his homework.

His mother Margaret drives him to school where a nurse and special needs assistant help him get through the day.

The 10-year-old’s personality filled the High Court yesterday as his grandmother, Monica Kennedy, sat in the witness box and spoke with pride of her grandson.

“He carries us along. He is doing unbelievably. It is down to him and his personality.”

Cullen, who was in court with his mother Margaret, grandmother Monica, and other family members had made it clear he wanted to meet the judge ruling on his case.

“I was hoping to get a chance to meet him,” said Ms Justice Mary Irvine.

Cullen was wheeled in to court by his mother. Ms Justice Irvine left the bench and walked to the well of the court to greet him, putting him at his ease straight away.

“You are getting on great at school and I hear you are a wizard at the computer games,” she said as Cullen smiled happily.

She asked the boy if he would help her as she was “clueless” about computers, but, as the boy started to giggle, she said, “I could not afford you”.

Bending closer to Cullen she wished him a long and happy life.

“Good man. Look after your mother and your grandmother,” she said.

Outside court Cullen smiled as the family solicitor read a prepared statement.

“All our lives changed forever that day, most especially Cullen’s who was a normal and happy six-year-old and is now a quadriplegic” Mr Ian Foley read on behalf of the family.

“We would like to pay a personal tribute to Cullen who is an inspiring and very brave boy. No amount of money could compensate for the horrific injuries he has suffered.”

In the statement, the family said the settlement would be lodged in court and managed for Cullen’s benefit by the courts.

The family also thanked both the Kennedy and Goodfellow families “who have endured so much and put their lives on hold to ensure that Cullen obtains the best care possible”.

They also thanked fundraisers, experts who provided reports in the case, and the legal team which negotiated the settlement.