The family of a west Belfast woman who died from Covid-19 in a nursing home have told of their heartbreak at not being able to be with her to "hold her hand when she was passing".
Kathleen McNeill, who was 83 and from the Beechmount area, died on Tuesday at Kilwee Nursing Home in the Dunmurry area.
The much-loved sister had lived in the care home for the past three years.
Having battled blood cancer and later dementia, the former adminstrator's family had been regular visitors to see her in the home.
However, the last time they seen her was around six weeks ago just before the facility went into lock-down because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Two weeks ago, her family were contacted and told the pensioner had developed a chest infection and a dry cough and she tested positive for coronavirus.
In the days that followed, Kathleen's breathing became "erratic" and staff said they were "keeping her as comfortable as possible".
Kathleen's niece, a nurse, was allowed in to see her aunt and sit with her, and on the last occasion, held her phone up to her ear as a west Belfast priest gave her the Last Rites.
The 83-year-old passed away on Tuesday.
Speaking to the Irish News, Kathleen's sister-in-law, Mary McNeill said the family have been left "devastated".
"The family are feeling this is one of the cruellest things that could have happened," she said.
"They are feeling devastated because she was a woman who looked after everybody. When it was really needed, we couldn't be there with her to hold her hand when she was passing away and that was the most heartbreaking thing.
"We are following what people have been experiencing. When it comes to your own home, it is so hard to accept".
Mary described her "beautiful" sister-in-law as someone who had a "lovely life" and "loved her family more than anything in the world".
"She had three very close friends in her life. They loved their wee nights out. They loved their wee dances. She spent her life visiting her brother in Canada".
Gerard McNeill described his sister as someone who was "a real lady, kind and considerate of all, and overall just a real good person".
"Her kindness shone through," he said.
"For all she did for us as a family we would have loved to be with her physically in her dying hours but we couldn't be there in person but in our hearts we were",
A Mass for Kathleen McNeill will take place today (FRI) at 10am at St Paul's Church, Cavendish Street. The Mass will be streamed online.
