Fundraiser for ex-Garda paralysed after freak fall

A Galway man who was involved in a tragic accident that left him paralysed has been made feel like a “bed-blocker” according to his family.

John Conneely, a 59 year old, retired Garda Sergeant from Salthill had been holidaying with his partner in Amsterdam when he felt unwell during dinner.

When he went outside to get some air, he passed out and fell down a series of steep granite stairs, breaking his neck and caused severe spinal cord damage.

After ten hours in the operating theatre, surgeons managed to save his life – but sadly it left him in a quadriplegic state.

After spending some months in hospital in the Netherlands, John was medevaced back to Ireland where he several weeks at the Mater Hospital and from there was transferred to the National Rehabilitation Centre in Dun Laoghaire where he is currently located.

Unfortunately this is only a temporary solution for John and he has already been told he will soon need to make provisions for finding alternative care.

His family have been forced to launch a fundraising to campaign to try to meet the growing costs of such care, given that that assistance from the state will fall far short of what John needs in order to have a minimum quality of life.

Speaking of the problem, John’s brother Jarlath stated, “There is a big issue there at the moment Dun Laoghaire – they want him out but they cannot offer him any place that will meet his needs. He needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week care, and sometimes there needs to be two people with him.”

“He is basically in the terminology of the bureaucrats a ‘bed-blocker,’ but he can’t go because has nowhere to go,” added his brother.

John currently resides in a three bedroom two storey house but given the unsuitability of the building he is been forced to sell his home.

He is looking to purchase a more suitable bungalow house that can be modified to suit his needs but once again this is serious financial drain on both John and his family.

“He feels terrible, on top of all his woes he really feels rotten about the situation he’s in because this has been put to him that he’s a bed ‘block-blocker’. He has been incredibly resilient and he’s an amazing fella and he was always turns the best side out when we are up with him in Dublin,” said Jarlath.

John had only retired from the Gardaí two years ago where he was a member of Garda Sub-Aqua Unit. Before the accident he was described as a very active man. “He was such a fit man. This guy loved life and loved swimming, walking and going to the gym,” his brother told the Connacht Tribune.

John has two children Jennie and Peter and one grandchild called Erin who are all said to be “absolutely devastated” following the heart-breaking incident.

His family have launched the “Jogging for John” campaign which aims to bridge the gap between the government funding and the actual financial costs of ensuring John has a reasonable standard of life. Family and friends of will partake in the Galway Bay 10K run to be held on October 1.

Thus far there have been donations bordering on €18,000 but they are hoping to raise in excess of €50,000. To donate to this fundraiser please do so at- https://www.fundandseek.com/joggingforjohn