Northside People West
Wednesday 11 July 2012
Lucky Seaghan Kearney, who is one of the few people to survive from SADS (Sudden Adult Death Syndrome), jetted off on Honeymoon with his beautiful bride Mary Lynch last week.
The Cabra man, who was brought back from the brink of death with a donated defibrillator two years ago, tied the knot to his long-term girlfriend on July 30.
Seaghan (32) and his new wife were surrounded by family and friends for the ceremony on their special day during which they celebrated life and love.
“It was an amazing day, a dream come true for both of us and we’re so blessed to have had it,” Seaghan told Northside People.
In October 2010, Seaghan, a local teacher, collapsed during an indoor five-a-side football match at St Oliver Plunkett’s GAA club in Cabra.
Medical experts: say there is a four-minute window of revival in such situations which is why Seaghan owes his life to the quick-thinking reactions to those around him.
Off-duty fireman, Terry O’Brien, who was Seaghan’s groomsman on his big day, operated the defibrillator, which had been donated by a local pharmacist following the sudden death of Tyrone footballer Padraig McAnallen.
Special prayers were said during the wedding ceremony for the young footballer and his family who have created such an awareness of SADS, according to Seaghan.
“We couldn’t have let the day pass without remembering Padraig McAnallen and his family who played a major role in my survival,” he said.
“Their publicity and campaigning for the wider use of defibrillators is the reason why St Oliver Plunkett’s had the machine in the first place”.
“I know how incredibly lucky and blessed I am to be alive and I know I’ve a lot to be thankful for.
It was handy to have Terry as my groomsman as well, just in case anything happened again”.
The Padraig McAnallen trophy stood on the altar throughout Seaghan and Mary’s wedding ceremony and a prayer of the Faithful was also said in the memory of him and other victims of SADS.
“It was the perfect day to celebrate life, togetherness and friends,” Seaghan continued. We definitely made the most of it and I think the realization that we could all have been denied the day gave it an extra edge, in a good way”.
“We wouldn’t’ have had a wedding or a future together”.
It was fitting that Seaghan and Mary celebrated their wedding reception in Lough Rynn Castle in County Leitrim as visiting the venue two years ago while planning their big day was one of Seaghan’s only memories immediately after waking up in hospital after his collapse.
“My short term memory was wiped so going to the venue a few days before I collapsed was all I could remember”, he explained.
“It was good to be back there and we also realized that there was a defibrillator at the side of the church that we chose, which was also a happy coincidence”.
There wasn’t a dry in the house as Seaghan gave an emotional and thought-provoking speech during their wedding reception.
“There were certainly plenty of tears but also some laughter,” he explained.
“My speech was basically about how lucky I am and how every day is so precious. Every morning you can put your feet on the ground after waking up is a blessing”.
Seaghan and his wife jetted off for a well deserved honeymoon in South East Asia.
The newlyweds wished to thank the Mater Foundation’s Heart Appeal who fund the Heart House, a national service which screens the families of people who have died from Sudden Cardiac Death or who have survived a cardiac arrest under the age of 40. The Heart House is completely reliant on donations from the public. To donate visit www.sads.ie.