The family of a young Armagh man who died in a workplace accident in America are holding a fundraising event this Saturday, July 15 to raise money for the charity that helped bring him home.
Sean Hughes, who was 27 and a married father-of-one, passed away in June 2021, six months after a fall.
The fundraising day will be held in Hughes Bar, Armagh, with all funds raised going to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (KBRT).
The event has been organised by Sean’s family, including parents Majella and Paul and aunt Noleen.
His wife Emily and young son Sean-Paul will be travelling over from the USA to attend it.
The family has explained how the Newry-based charity helped them so much in the difficult days following Sean’s death.
Writing on a JustGiving page, which has seen £750 donated so far, they said: “The pain we felt on that day was just unbelievable. We couldn’t think straight and didn’t have the first clue how we would get him home.
“On advice we contacted the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust. After just one phone call they took it all completely out of our hands, and within a few hours everything had been sorted out.
“In a time of such despair they took the worry of the logistics away. We will be forever grateful to KBRT and we want to raise this money to ensure that one day another family who find themselves in our position can also get a loved one home.
“This is a fantastic charity and any donations would be greatly appreciated.”
The day will start at 11am with a 10-kilometre walk from the Square in Moy to the Shambles in Armagh.
That evening, a bingo night will start at 6pm in Hughes Bar. Books are £30 with a host of prizes donated by local business.
Music will start at 9pm, with a DJ playing into the ‘wee hours’.
Raffle tickets will be on sale on the night and in the run-up to Saturday, with some great prizes again up for grabs.
Sean, one of four brothers, loved football and played both Gaelic and soccer, and the prizes include signed football jerseys and match tickets.
The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust was set up the Bell family after 26-year-old Kevin Bell was killed in a suspected hit-and-run in New York in June 2013.
Donations to the Hughes family’s fundraiser for KBRT can be made via the JustGiving link.
