A CO Derry woman is preparing to walk 120km of the Camino Frances in memory of her son who was killed in a road crash.
It is hoped the trek will help raise funds for a charity helping other families bereaved in similar tragedies.
Keelan Mullan was 17 when he died in a collision on the Drumsurn Road near Limavady in March 2013.
A pupil at St Mary’s High School, the popular teenager from the Drumsurn area also played GAA with his local club St Matthew's.
As the 10th anniversary of his death approaches, his mother Deborah Mullan is planning to walk a stretch of the Camino Frances Route in Spain, from Sarria to Santiago, to help bring a "sense of healing" following her loss.
Her challenge is also to raise funds for the Life After charity, which she helped found and which is currently aiding 194 families in the north and further afield who are coping with the loss of a loved one following road tragedies.
Deborah, who is preparing for the journey with her partner, Marius Murphy, told The Irish News that she plans to leave a memorial card with a picture of Keelan, and mementoes from other bereaved families, along the ancient Camino route, which is walked by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year.
"Ten years on from Keelan’s death, the journey is about me recognising what I have come through and the strength and courage I had to build to do so,” she said.
Following her family’s loss, Deborah attended the first meeting in 2017 of Life After, founded by Christopher Sherrard, whose father Wilson was killed in a collision on the Foreglen Road near Claudy the previous year.
Since joining the group, Deborah and fellow volunteers - all of whom have experienced bereavement through collisions - have begun offering an extended support network for people living with the aftermath of road deaths.
They hope funds raised through her Camino walk will provide further vital support across the north and border counties in the Republic, including home visits and counselling sessions.
"The difference between our group and others is that we are coming from a lived experience, so we know not just the bereavement faced by people in our situation, but the trauma they can face in the months and years afterwards," said Deborah, who outside of Life After is a qualified counsellor.
“GP federations offer counselling after six months, but we know that in the wake of tragedy, people face risks including suicidal ideation, alcoholism and drug use in those early months. As we aim to establish further hubs across Northern Ireland and border counties, costs will escalate, so the Camino journey is a step towards raising money to allow more families to benefit. At the same time it's going to be the most personal journey I've ever undertaken. My partner Marius is joining me on the journey, and he helped me believe I could do this challenge when I faced some doubts.
She added: "The fundraising efforts have been fantastic, including from Keelan's school. It's lovely that 10 years on he is still remembered for the wonderful young man he was, and not just another statistic."
Donations can be made online at gofundme.com/f/camino-kms-in-memory-of-keelan.
