A young mother of two has suffered a devastating brain injury after a night out at a Westlife concert ended in tragedy in Dublin. Danielle O’Keane, 37, had spent Saturday evening with friends at the 3Arena and was travelling into Dublin city centre to meet her husband when the incident happened. Her family say Danielle boarded a rickshaw following the concert but had been travelling for only a matter of seconds when the vehicle struck a kerb and overturned. She suffered catastrophic injuries and was rushed to the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, where she remains in intensive care. Her family say doctors have told them Danielle has suffered what they described as a “life-ending brain injury” and that there is nothing further medically that can be done.
Husband was waiting to meet her
Danielle’s husband, David, had been waiting to meet his wife in the city centre following the concert. Her brother-in-law Derek said the family is now attempting to come to terms with how a journey expected to last only a few minutes ended in tragedy. According to the family, Danielle was only seconds into the rickshaw journey when it struck a kerb and toppled over. Relatives are now spending precious time at her bedside while doctors complete the final stages of medical assessments. “It is heartbreaking,” Derek said. “The doctors have explained there is nothing more they can do. We are simply waiting for the process to be completed.”
Family holiday bags were already packed
Danielle has been described by those closest to her as a woman with a “heart of gold” who was devoted to her family. She is the mother of two young boys, aged five and two. The family had been preparing for their first holiday abroad together and were due to fly to Mallorca next week. Their bags had already been packed. Instead, Danielle’s husband and wider family are now facing an unimaginable situation. “She was full of life,” Derek said. “They had the world at their feet. There was so much to look forward to.”
Fundraiser launched for husband and two young sons
A fundraising appeal has been launched to support Danielle’s husband and their two young children and has already raised tens of thousands of pounds. Meanwhile, Gardaí are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Officers have appealed for witnesses and anyone with camera footage from the North Wall Quay area at around 11pm on Saturday to come forward. For Danielle’s loved ones, their immediate focus remains on spending time with the much-loved wife, mother, daughter and friend whose family’s lives were changed in a matter of seconds.
Originally published by UKNIP.
