A heartbroken Donegal mother has told how her daughter phoned her for help but died just a short time later from an asthma attack.
Michelle Devenney was preparing to have a baby when her 14-year-old daughter Aimee called her.
Aimee lived in Letterkenny and was a pupil in Coláiste Ailigh, although she spent a lot of time in her mother’s homeplace of Rann na Feirste in West Donegal.
Michelle was preparing to go into hospital to have a baby when she got a call from Aimee, who was staying with her grandparents in Rann na Feirste.
“Mammy, I need you to calm me down,” Michelle recalled Aimee saying.
Michelle told the Barrscéalta programme on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta that Aimee would get a panic attack when she felt an asthma attack coming on, as she did that morning.
The loving mum did her very best to try to help Aimee to stay calm, but it was clear that things were very serious.
“That was the last time I spoke to her.”
Aimee collapsed at her grandparents house and an ambulance was called, but sadly they were unable to save her.
“They worked on her for a long time. They told me in the hospital that normally they only work on a case like this for twenty minutes, but that they had worked on her for two and a half hours, so I knew they had done everything they possibly could to save her.”
The first anniversary of Aimee’s death is on 15th December, and the family decided they would like to do something in memory of Aimee and to celebrate her life.
“We decided to collect money for two charities, the Asthma Society of Ireland, because people don’t know enough about asthma and how dangerous it can be … and Pieta House in Letterkenny.
“Aimee spent some time with them, she suffered a lot with her mental health. You would never think it, because she was always so happy go lucky, but they helped her through a really tough time and I’d like to give something back,” said Michelle.
A 10 km charity walk was to take place this Saturday 10 December in Letterkenny, but due to COVID Michelle is now asking people to complete the 10 km in their own area and to post photos to social media with #Aimee.
You can support the campaign at https://www.gofundme.com/f/asthma-society-pieta-nw-in-memory-of-aimee
Michelle said she remains strong for Aimee who she will always remember as kind and caring.
“She was very good at music and drama, like her Granda. She was very kind and always had a smile on her face. She’d be very proud of the work we’re doing to help these charities.”
Michelle said that Aimee had suffered from asthma from when she was very young, and had almost died at age four because of an attack, but that she didn’t let it stop her and had dealt with her illness well.
“People say to me you’re so strong, you’re so brave…but I’m not… You just have to keep going.”
