A South Woodford dad found his 31 year old son, Ciaran dead last year. Ciaran Fitzgerald, struggled with mental health.
Finding his son was horrifying for Mr. Fitzgerald. He stayed calm and called for help, giving the ambulance service needed details. The coroner held an inquest February 10. Ciaran lived in South Woodford and had tried suicide in 2019, receiving help from his doctor back then. He seemed okay when he died.
Doctor records showed Ciaran was mostly healthy since 2020. He had a chest X-ray and, according to the coroner, was fully vaccinated. He was perfectly healthy at his death.
Ciaran’s toxicology report showed high alcohol levels, over the legal driving limit. This could affect his intent, said the coroner, suggesting the death might have been a cry for help.
People said Ciaran was easy to be around. He enjoyed cooking, politics, and nature. He often socialized with people and had a big, close family, who helped him make important choices.
Four hundred people attended Ciaran’s funeral. He worked for the charity ELHAP, which aids children with disabilities. Ciaran found happiness and purpose there.
Police stated no one else was involved in Ciaran’s death.
A fundraiser began to honor Ciaran, raising almost £11,200 for ELHAP. Friends and family shared tributes. His neighbor, Hitesha, called him friendly and said he was a wonderful musician.
Hitesha shared they moved next door to the Fitzgeralds years ago and felt lucky to have them as neighbors. While they didn’t interact with Ciaran much, he was friendly.
Hitesha explained they knew Ciaran through music mostly. His guitar playing was magical, with heart and soul. They loved listening to him play and felt disappointed when he stopped.
His music showed his kind, gentle nature. They will truly miss him and the way music made them feel.
A colleague said they won’t move Ciaran’s Harry Potter mug. The colleague worked with Ciaran for over a year. He was passionate about his job, and nothing was too much work for him, helping the service users a lot. He was also a wonderful colleague.
Ciaran taught them about many subjects and set up a project to continue now too. Talking to Ciaran about food was funny, and sharing a desk with him was fun as well. The colleague always moved his mug, but now, the mug is not moving at all. They miss him.
Deby, from ELHAP, described him as polite and sensitive. She knew him as a shy, caring colleague. Within months, they did school visits together.
She learned he was funny and still caring. He was polite and had a sensitive soul. He could hold teens’ attention, giving strong, confident talks. He was a lovely young man, and Deby believes he was so happy there.
His legacy will live on at ELHAP forever. He will always be a part of ELHAP, in the now and in the future. He will live in their hearts always.