Bereaved mother plans ‘remorial’ in tribute to family

It was a tragedy of unimaginable proportions which touched people on both sides of the Irish Sea.

Now, the brave Irishwoman whose family was wiped out by a suicidal taxi driver in a holiday car crash has unveiled plans to honour their memories.

Elber Twomey said she hopes her ‘remorial’ event in north Cork this summer for her late husband, her little boy and her unborn daughter — who all died as a result of the crash in Devon in July 2012 — will ensure they are never forgotten, and remind people about how precious life is.

“We intend that this remorial weekend will be an annual event so that our beauties are never forgotten,” said Elber.

“Instead they will always be remembered with the love and honour that they so deserve.”

Elber, 38, from Newmarket, who was five months pregnant, was on holidays in Devon with her husband Connie, and their 16-month-old, Oisín, when tragedy struck.

“We chose Devon, the sunny south-west, for our holiday as personally I was afraid to fly as I was five months pregnant with our beautiful little lady,” Elber said.

“Taking our car also gave us the luxury of bringing lots of Oisín’s toys, so we literally could have a home away from home.

“We had six fabulously carefree days together. Regretfully on day seven at 2:47pm tragedy struck us and our wonderful life ended.”

As they drove towards the ferry on their way home on July 6, Polish taxi driver Marek Wojciechowski deliberately drove directly into their car.

Oisín and his unborn sister, Elber Marie, were killed. Con died from his injuries 10 months later. Elber spent months recovering from her physical injuries.

An inquest established that Mr Wojciechowski had left a suicide note and circled a busy dual carriageway 11 times before ramming the Twomeys’ car just seconds after a police officer tried to pull him over.

After an inquest last year, Elber forgave him and the police officer who was pursuing him.

However, she criticised the UK’s police force for failing to learn how to deal with suicidal drivers.

“To my absolute horror, the Independent Police Complaints Commission report into our crash states that ‘no learning outcomes or organisational learning was identified’,” Elber said at the time.

“I totally reject this finding. I believe that a more cautious and considered approach by the police is necessary to protect lives. The lack of this caution has cost me my entire family.”

Elber began studying Irish road accident reports and was shocked by how many cars have been used by people with suicidal ideation in Ireland.

She is now campaigning for more training for gardaí in how to deal with suicidal drivers.

Earlier this year, she met with Transport Minister Leo Varadkar, who agreed to seek further research on both suicidal drivers and ways of improving Irish road safety.

She is now turning her focus to organising a major three-day event in Newmarket from June 6 and 8 to “remember with love and to honour” Connie, Oisín, and Elber Marie.

“We intend that this remorial weekend will be an annual event so that our beauties are never forgotten,” said Elber. “Instead they will always be remembered with the love and honour that they so deserve.”

A committee including her brother Tomás, Thomas O’Mahoney, Gerard Angland, Johhnie Stack, Aonghus McDomhnaill, Dan O’Connor, and Finbarr Murphy is co-ordinating the event.

The weekend will open with a concert by Liam O’Connor, which will be introduced by broadcasting legend Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh.

A range of sporting events will take place, as well as a memorial Mass, a table quiz, a road run, a family walk, and a charity cycle.

Talented @LiamOConnorMus launches Our Wkd in Honour of Our Beauties.To Donate or Register see http://t.co/Rki1sfAzif pic.twitter.com/5TIBALgk0l

— Twomey Weekend (@TwomeyWeekend) April 18, 2014

Money raised will be donated to the hospitals which looked after Elber and her family after the tragedy — Torbay Hospital in Torquay, Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, and Cork University Hospital.

“The money will also help promote suicide prevention and suicide awareness in the hope that it will help prevent another family from our tragic story,” Elber said.

The charities to benefit will include Inspire Ireland, Suicide Aware (Cork), 3Ts in Dublin, and Pieta House.

* Full details of the Twomey Family Remorial, how to pre-register for the events, and to make donations, are available on twomeyfamilyremorial.com