Mother thanks our readers for helping triplet Jake recover
Kyran O'Brien
HAPPY HOME: Jake, in blue top, with brothers Josh and Jamie and parents Michelle and Declan in Dublin.
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He has started school, joined a soccer team, is playing GAA and won't stop wrestling his brothers.
Tragic triplet turned miracle boy, Jake Howe is certainly back to himself and it's in no small way thanks to generous Herald readers.
Six weeks ago, Jake (4) was in a coma in a Spanish hospital as his family held a bedside vigil, but while they were worried beyond belief they took comfort from the fact that thousands of people at home were thinking of them.
Today, Jake's mother Michelle has asked for the chance to thank everybody who helped them through "the nightmare ordeal".
"We want to thank them for their prayers, their work and their generosity while we were stuck in Majorca and since we came home," she said.
Jake was plucked from the bottom of a swimming pool at the Hotel Ola Club Cala Llenya in Ibiza where he was deprived of air for minutes. He spent 12 days in a medically induced coma as doctors worked to ensure there would be no long-term brain damage.
After breaking the story, the Herald was inundated with messages of support and donations quickly began to flood in.
More than €5,000 was raised by readers for medical costs, accommodation and other expenses that piled up while the family and some friends had to stay in Majorca. A north Dublin playschool was one of those to organise a funding raising effort. Staff, parents and children at The Toddle Inn in Finglas held two pyjama days and raised €1,230.
Other funds were raised by Offaly man John Mitchell (43) who was actually the person to save Jake's life. He performed CPR on Jake for 45 minutes before medics arrived.
Friends in Ballyfermot also rallied around the Howe family and helped look after Jake's brothers Josh and Jamie.
"We can't thank everybody enough but we'd like to give special mention to Stephen and Margaret from Tommy's shop, Bridie Fox, Thomas Daly, our families and all the people of Ballyfermot," said Michelle.
The triplets are due to start swimming lesson after Halloween, and although Michelle says she's "extremely nervous", Jake wants nothing more than to get back in the water.
- Kevin Doyle
