Amazing response to nights in memory of `Sunshine'
by MARY MAGEE
Roy and David Heasley present ICU Nurses Liz McAlea and Anne Graham from the Mater and Belfast City Hospital with a cheque for BHSCT (Belfast Health & Social Care Trust). US1411-406PM Pic by Paul Murphy
THE family of Jim Heasley have handed over a cheque for £3,610 to the nurses who attended him in intensive care before he passed away.
Jim's brother David presented cheques to nurses from the Mater and City Hospitals at the Pigeon Club on Tuesday night. The money was raised from two fund-raising nights at the Pigeon Club.
Jim, who was known to everyone as Sunshine, died from his injuries nearly two weeks after being assaulted in Lisburn. The 70-year-old, who lived at Craig Gardens, had been attacked in the early hours of Sunday morning October 17 at Manor Park as he walked home from the Pigeon Club.
There was an overwhelming wave of sympathy and support for the family and David decided As a night to organise the two fund raising nights at the Pigeon Club with help from staff members Eddie Adams and Ronnie Beattie.
David said he was astounded by the generosity from the people who attended. "We hoped to raise £1000 so to get this amount was incredible," he said. ' We are really grateful.
"The place was packed on Saturday night and some people came back on Sunday to give their support to those who held a poker night. We could not have asked for anything better.
"Friends and relations and people of all ages came. Many were young people who instead of going out to nightclubs came to the Pigeon Club and made it a very enjoyable night for everyone concerned.
"During the night the band played 'You are my Sunshine' and there was not
a dry eye in the place."
David said that he would like to thank all the sponsors who did everything
they could to help.
"The nurses have been taken back by all the effort that has been put in,"
said David. "They could not believe it. We were just so grateful at what
they had done for Jim in the last days of his life.
"We would like to thank everyone who helped in anyway and gave items up for the ballot. The auction had football jerseys, scarves, memorabilia and we even got a signed Henry Cooper boxing glove.
"Even days after the auction a man who I had not seen for ten years came up to me at Smithfield and said how sorry he was to hear about Jim and handed me £50.I did not know what to say to him, I was pretty choked up. That is the kind of response that we have been getting from people."
Ulster Star
08/04/2011
