Munster captain inspired by terminally ill teenager
The Kerry 16-year-old had viewers in tears during his appearance RTÉ’s Saturday Night Show but O’Connell has grown so close to the young rugby fan that nothing surprises him about Donal Walsh anymore.
“I’m sure he will have enjoyed that,” Munster talisman O’Connell said after the province’s 18-12 win over Harlequins yesterday. “He sent me a lovely message last night, which he always does when I’m coming back [from injury], which I have been a few times since I’ve known him. He’s a real good guy, a very special guy.
“The last few weeks we’ve been in fairly regular contact. I really like talking to him. It’s hard to relate to some young guys, but whateverjourney he’s been on, he’s quite mature and very easy to relate to. Even when I was injured I used to enjoy shooting the breeze with him because he’d give me a massive lift. He has a great perspective on life and would give me a big lift.
“I’ve known him about four years now and I’ve become friends with him now. At the start, he was a big Munster fan and I was asked to visit him because he had cancer but over time I’ve gotten to know and we’ve become friendly.
“He’s an inspiration, simple as that. Last week, he was talking about not how difficult it was for himself, but how difficult it was to prepare his family, which I thought was funny in many ways, but he wasn’t worrying about himself.”
Walsh, who spoke on RTÉ of hoping his death will make the nation hold life more precious, is also close to Leinster’s Shane Jennings.
“He’s been on a tough journey,” said O’Connell, “and I think he’s made a very lasting impression on a lot of people, his schoolmates and everyone. He’s a special person.”
On the Saturday Night Show, the 16-year-old unflinchingly spoke about his terminal illness and his love of life in an attempt to help stop suicide among his peers.
The cancer-stricken teenager came to the nation’s attention when his incredible letter revealing his personal battle with terminal cancer — and his quest to end the suicide epidemic plaguing this country before his life ends — became public.
“I just see maybe I am meant to be a symbol for people to appreciate life,” he told interviewer Brendan O’Connor. “[Faith] is a huge part of it. I wouldn’t be where I am without it. I see God has given me this challenge. I may be used as a symbol for other people to appreciate life more.
“It might not be just suicide in particular but just to appreciate life in general then I’ll be happy to die... if that is what I am dying for.”
Since he received his diagnosis last October that there was no more treatment for his cancer, Walsh defied expectations by living past Christmas and then the Easter holidays.
The teenager said he is just looking for peace in his life in his final days.
“I know most people would have a bucket list ready to go. Obviously, if I had gotten time, I would have travelled the world and gone to New Zealand and bungee jumping and all things [like that] but I don’t get to see that in life now.
“So as long as I find peace over the next weeks and content in my life I will be happy.”
Walsh said he never expected to come to national prominence as he didn’t plan on his letter on suicide being published but he does hope it will make young people stop and think about taking their own lives.
“I wrote it... I didn’t plan on it being published,” he said. “It was published by accident. I just didn’t want them to see suicide as a solution to any of life’s problems.
“It kills me because I am here fighting for my life for the third time. That does make me angry and I’m not going to lie about that. I have nothing against people with mental illness but these people have to realise there is help everywhere.”
The teenager spoke about seeing all the beauty in the world since his diagnosis and his sadness at leaving his family and friends, but he said he has made his peace with dying.
Walsh has also spent the last six months raising €50,000 to help improve the crowded conditions in Crumlin Hospital’s cancer ward.
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