It was a normal day in the world of GAA, Erin’s Isle of
Finglas against O Dwyer’s of Balbriggan. The game was close and the regular
spectators were sprinkled around the edges of the lined pitch on the grounds of
Erin’s Isle. For a moment, no-body but the goalkeeper noticed when an Isle’s
player, Francis Leonard, clutched at his ankle and then his chest before
toppling over onto the grass.
Francis Leonard was 29 years old, a recent graduate and
homeowner when he died of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, 18th November
2006. But this is not a story about the
life of Francis Leonard, a person called before anyone was ready. This is a
story of life after Francis and how his father, Greg Leonard, managed to
continue on after the devastating loss of his youngest ‘baby’.
Greg is now a key member in offering consolation to those
family and friends affected by Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, a sometimes genetic
syndrome that simply cause the heart to stop beating. Greg was contacted by the
founder of the organisation C.R.Y shortly after Francis passed.
“About a week after Francis died, he died November 18th,
we got a letter from Marie and she explained to us who she was and what she did
with C.R.Y,” says Greg.
Marie Green and her husband found the organisation C.R.Y
(Cardiac Risk in the Young) when their own son died of the syndrome in 1996.
Since then C.R.Y has been used to raise awareness about the syndrome that is
being explained for more and more unexpected deaths (2 per week) and raising
funds to help the charity reach out to those in need.
C.R.Y helped Greg and his own family and it gave them the
relief to know ‘they were not alone.’ For Greg being able to find out more
about what had claimed his sons’ life was soothing in itself and immediately
immersed himself in learning more and dealing with his own grief.
‘”Marie,” Greg says, fondness and gratitude evident in his
voice, “is the best person you could ever meet when bereaved.”
And now, people may be echoing the same words about Greg,
who now works hard to raise the awareness of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome and
fundraise. He also reaches out to those who have been recently bereaved as
Marie once reached out to him and though he does not counsel them, he lets
people know they do not need to be alone, that there are people who understand
and are willing to talk.
On 26 of January 2007, Greg and his wife Elsa pulled in
beside the road on a return trip from Liffey Valley Shopping Centre and talked
about their loss and their survival on the Joe
Duffy Liveline Radio show.
“I told the kids,” smiled Greg, “and they said ‘Da, I hope
you didn’t sing the Happy Song. And of course I had.”
‘The Happy Song’, Greg explains, was a song Fran used to
sing whenever he was sad or feeling a little stressed. It echoes the loving,
caring nature that was Fran which is obvious he inherited from his father as he
begins to sing the rendition. It is easy to see the strength in the father’s
character and how he knows when he sings the song, he feels his son with him.
The Leonards also appeared on TV3 and RTE to raise awareness
and encourage young athletes and those participating regularly in contact
sports to get screened. The Leonard family happened to be the first family to
become screened after Fran’s death.
“The screening hadn’t even opened; they were working out of
Tallaght Hospital at nighttime after hours. We were there at half four and
didn’t get out till half nine.”
Since the Leonards were screened, a special clinic has been
opened up in Tallaght Hospital and Greg has actively participated in encouraging
people to go.
“We got great support from everybody, especially the GAA,
the county board,” says Greg. “On my request the County Board put a form on the
back of the match programmes. They put it for nothing.”
The small easy to fill out form appeared on the programme of
one of the biggest Dublin matches of the year, seeing Croke Park fill 70,000
seats. How many people noticed the form, filled it out and perhaps got shocking
news that saved their lives, who can tell? But for Greg, knowing that someone
out there was most likely saved from the same faith as Francis through his own
actions it is a good feeling to live with.
Greg appears both sad and happy when he mentions a fact that
has probably comforted and tortured him on several occasions over the last five
years.
“I was the last person to see Francis alive in the family,”
he states matter of factly. “It was a Thursday night and he’d missed training.
We [Elsa and Greg] were going to London the next day for my brother’s surprise
birthday party, his 70th birthday. We were flying back on the Sunday
and everyone was going to be here. We were going to get an Indian Takeaway. I’d
made out my list; Francis had other ideas to amend the order.”
Again the strength of Greg’s character shines through as
Francis is remember and lives on through conversation. His death is not hidden
but merely a statement. Sadness is hidden behind the Leonard’s obvious pride
and devotion to their son. Love and tenderness is shown in the precious Indian
Takeaway menu that lies on the table, Francis’s post-it with his menu
preferences still stuck on. It is something that will never be shared with
strangers; it’s a small token of remembrance and comfort for the Leonard
family.
Greg is known in GAA circles around Dublin, something that
has greatly helped with funding and raising awareness for C.R.Y. The GAA always
there to help, matches are held every year between Isle’s and O’Dwyers in
memory of the tragic unfinished game of November 18th.
Francis Lawlor, former Juvenile Chairman of Erin’s Isle
G.A.A, greatly admires Greg for not only his work but for his faith and his
devotion that has never been extinguished.
“The only thing I could say about Greg,” says Fran “is that
he’s a real hero. Not in what he’s done for C.R.Y but for how he’s turned
something that’s tragic into something that’s good and something to be happy
about.”
The same can be said for Elsa Leonard, who when asked
previously where Fran is replied cheerily, “Oh, my Fran’s in heaven!”
Religion is a strong factor in the family and it certainly
helped when dealing with Fran’s death. Masses have been set up by Elsa and Greg
for families grieving a sudden death whether it is from a car accident to
suicide. And on the day of Fran’s
funeral, a letter was read out composed by his family. It was thought to be the
words of Francis, speaking to his friends and family as they grieved for him.
“I’m sorry for giving you all a fright last Saturday but
when I was called, I had no choice...thank you for trying to rescue me.”
The letter again speaks of the nature of Greg and his
family. At a time when they were grieving, they all found a way to bring
comfort to each other and everyone who knew their son, brother and partner in
something as small, as giving Francis a voice when he could no longer be heard
by everyone.
Greg goes out of his way to help families like his on a
regular basis. He tries to encourage all families, especially those with young
members to be screened for the Brugada Syndrome, a genetic syndrome Francis and
those of his family had. It’s a syndrome that causes the electrical charges in
your brain that control the beat of your heart stops, resulting in your heart
failing to beat. The victim has 12 seconds until they die a timeframe that more
often than not proves fatal. Greg has raised awareness of this particular
syndrome through C.R.Y, to allow those with the gene to take care in their life
and avoid activities that could trigger it and therefore save their lives.
Fundraisers have been set up, some concerts led by Mary Black, the Irish
singer.
Through the light-heartedness of Greg’s personality and the
easy way Francis is mentioned in conversation, a listener can almost forget the
devastating and tragic loss the older man has suffered. But then when asked how
he feels about his activities in C.R.Y and helping others, Greg allows a moment
of sadness and shadow cross his face as his eyes drift to the pictures of all
his sons on the wall.
“It’s therapy for me,” he replies distantly, “that’s all I
can really say; it’s therapy...it just gives me something to do. I can still
feel the last hug he gave me.”
Even with all the busy, hard word, the loss will never be
truly be forgotten but Greg’s work will continue on in the hopes of worldwide
awareness and screening so less families have to go through the trauma of
losing one so young, so suddenly.
The time to be happy is now
And the place to be happy
Is here
And the way to be happy is
To make others happy
And to have a little heaven
Down here.
{In memory of Francis Leonard}
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