Big fundraising response after fire destroyed home of Offaly grandmother (88)
Eighty-eight years of memories were wiped away in an instant for an Offaly grandmother who was left with just her wedding ring, her watch, and her beloved dog, Julia, after a devastating fire ripped through her family home a week ago.
Olive Thompson is “very lucky to be alive” according to her grandson, Dwayne, who, along with his younger brother, Kaelyn, and sister, Tara, set up a fundraiser to help their adored 'Granny Olive' rebuild the home where she reared her own family in Annaharvey and which contained a wealth of memories of a life well lived.
After spending five nights in Tullamore Hospital – during which she was visited by Church of Ireland bishop of Meath and Kildare, Rev Pat Storey, and also by Rev Isaac Delamere of Tullamore Union of Parishes – 88-year-old Olive was discharged on Wednesday.
She has now relocated to the home of her son, Ivan, in Cloneyhurke, along with her beloved dog, until her own home is rebuilt.
The iDonate fundraiser set up by her grandchildren has already garnered in excess of €17,000 in donations, and Dwayne Thompson says the family have been “blown away” by all the help they have received over the past week.
“We just cannot believe it,” he says, “and we are absolutely determined to rebuild the house and give our granny back her independence.”
One of her three grandchildren who organised the fundraising campaign, Kaelyn, flew halfway across the world – from Perth in western Australia – to be at his beloved granny's bedside when he learned of the devastating fire.
“Both of our grannies were actually in hospital at the same time,” says Dwaye, “so Kaelyn made the decision to fly home and he got a direct flight and walked into the hospital to visit his two grannies on Saturday evening last.”
Dwayne acknowledges that it will take his granny “some time” to process the fact that she has literally lost a lifetime of memories in the fire which devastated her home, but he adds that the wider family circle are “just very grateful that she made it out alive,” along with her dog.
Olive was born in the house next door to where she made her own family home with her late husband, Fred (who passed away in 2008) and where the couple reared their son, Ivan and daughter, Ann.
“The house held a treasure of memories for all of us, so we will rebuild it and make sure that granny once again has a home to call her own” pledges Dwaye.
The Thompsons are appealing to anyone who wishes to make a donation, big or small, to get their “amazing Granny back into her home with her little dog Julia” to do so on the iDonate fundraising page.
The page is called 'Help Olive to rebuild her home' and can be found at: www.idonate.ie/crowdfunder/DwayneTaraandKaelynsThompson