Derry Journal Review of the Year 2022: August

Reuven Simon and Joseph Sebastian were swimming with their friends on the Summer Bank holiday before returning to school for their A-Level exams. They got into difficulty and, sadly, both boys lost their lives. The city was in shock at the loss of the boys and stood with their families and friends to remember the two young men who had just received their GCSE results and had bright, promising futures ahead of them.

Earlier in the month, the public were urged to be aware of rip currents and to use life-guarded beaches. Soon after, six-year-old Derry boy David Moore was rescued in Culdaff after a riptide current swept him out to sea. A Dublin man saw the child go under water and ran in to rescue young David, who was unconscious. He was put in the recovery position and made a full recovery but David’s mum was in so much shock, she didn’t think to get the name of the man who saved her son. The family posted on social media to find the stranger who saved David’s life and to warn others of the dangers of rip currents.

Geraldine Mullan was left 'lost for words' after 15,000 people across the northwest visited her 'Field of Hope' in August. The sunflower field was developed in tribute to Geraldine’s husband John, son Tomás and daughter Amelia to mark the second anniversary of their untimely deaths on August 20, 2020. Visitors queued for hours over two days to view the field, near Quigley’s Point, and were able to take a sunflower home with them.

Nicole McDermott, a young Derry woman who lost her sight, speech and mobility due to Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), travelled to a specialist clinic in England after a mammoth fundraising effort to get her there. Over £23,000 was raised for Nicole, which enabled her to travel to PJ Care Centre in Peterborough, a leading provider of specialist neurological care and neuro rehabilitation.

‘Singing legend’ Maureen Hegarty passed away Peacefully at the Donegal Hospice on August 3.