Coronavirus: Two grieving families tell of their heartache

Six weeks ago - on 19 March - the first person with Covid-19 died in Northern Ireland.

Today, the number of hospital deaths stands at 347. Every death leaves a grieving family and friends.

Ignatius O'Connell, 89, and his wife, Mary, 86, died with coronavirus at their north Belfast home earlier this month, within three days of each other.

The retired teachers were due to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this summer.

Their daughter, Bronagh O'Connell, was with her parents when they died.

"My mummy and daddy were very family orientated," she said.

"Everything revolved around their family, and they were devoted to each other, they were two peas in a pod.

"My son and I looked after them at home."

She described those difficult days in the run up to her parents' deaths.

"It's very hard to see your wee mummy and daddy have what you thought was a chest infection, and then suddenly watch them not be able to breathe," she said.

"When daddy died, we hoped that mummy would pull through; we didn't think that she would die, too, but she got very sick very quickly, and she died too.

"It was horrific."

After caring for her parents, community midwife Ms O'Connell contracted Covid-19 herself.

She suffered lung pains and an angry and painful rash, as well as exhaustion, but is now recovering.

She is concerned that people are losing patience with lockdown.

"People should self isolate, they should stay indoors, I know it's driving them bonkers, but they're alive.

"You don't want to walk where we're walking, it's horrid," she said.

Mr and Mrs O'Connell were laid to rest together in Carrigart, Donegal.

Only Ms O'Connell and her son were at the funeral as the couple's other daughter was unwell and couldn't attend.

"Not being able to have a wake, not being able to have your friends and family when you need them so much, is so hard," Ms O'Connell said.

"I have to just deal with each day as it happens, because mummy and daddy aren't here anymore.

"I have to take just a wee bit of a day and if I get to lunchtime it's good; if I get to tea time it's better and when it gets to bed time I know we've made it through another day.

"The future is going to be very difficult without mummy and daddy."

Edith Watters died with Covid-19 at a Newtownabbey care home last week. She was 79.

A care worker was with her, because her family was not allowed to be.

Mrs Watters' daughter, Anne Dudgeon, said: "She was such a precious lady, with the most wonderful smile, everyone always remembers her smile because it lit up her whole face.

"When she died, a young girl of 19 was at her bedside, stroked her hair, talked to her, and my mummy told her she was ready to go now.

"She then wrote me the most beautiful message, telling me what happened and that meant so much, because we couldn't be there, but I knew that she was loved and she was cared for.

"At her funeral, I couldn't even hug my sister."

Mrs Dudgeon is so grateful to the staff at her mother's former home that she wrote a letter to Health Minister Robin Swann asking for better protection and recognition for nursing and care home staff.

She was able to visit her mother a few days before she died, and had to wear personal protective equipment.

"It was so frightening," she said.

"If people could see what that's like, they would realise the importance of staying in and not going out, because I don't want anyone to go through that.

"I'm aware of six other Covid deaths on my mum's floor. For the care workers to go in every day and deal with all of that, they just need support, they are angels."

So what would she say to people who believe coronavirus won't affect them?

"I thought that too, but it did," she said.

"The statistics come up and people are so used to it that it doesn't go into your consciousness, but every death...is somebody grieving like me, and you wouldn't wish that on anybody."