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19th Jul 2016

James McClean’s gesture to mourning Derry family goes way beyond what should be expected

Conan Doherty

A touching, helpful gesture at a truly trying time.

James McClean has come to the aid of another family in need with another act of breathtaking kindness.

Derry was struck with tragedy this week when a two-year-old named Ronan McGavigan passed away after being hit with a car on the Lone Moor Road – where the Brandywell stadium resides.

The toddler was said to have been chasing a ball onto the road when the heartbreaking incident occurred.

McGavigan

 

A JustGiving page was set up with the intention of helping the McGavigan family with expenses at such an awful time.

The target set was £1,000.

Within hours, that total was surpassed.

JustGiving

James McClean and his wife Erin, who have two young children together, met the target with sheer generosity and now the figure continues to rise with the kindness of the rest of the donations.

Sometimes, when a footballer helps out at times like these, some people shrug their shoulders and point to how much they’re being paid.

But this is a man with a family and a house, with expenses and taxes, and he’s under no obligation to hand over anything. A lot of footballers wouldn’t even be aware that this stuff is going on but James McClean helps out in whatever way he can time and time again.

It’s a small mercy when something like this tragedy has happened but it goes a long way.

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