Hero medics’ emotional meeting with family of Limerick man they saved

THE HERO medics who performed CPR on an Adare man had an emotional meeting with his family at the 2022 Limerick Person of the Year Awards.

In April 2022, Professor Barry Linnane, Dr Michael Shinkwin, both of North Circular Road, and Declan Gill, a vet from Castleconnell performed chest compressions on Tom Healy in the shadows of the Gaelic Grounds ahead of the Limerick v Waterford championship game.

After Mr Healy went into cardiac arrest, the three men sprung into action, performing chest compressions until paramedics arrived.

Mr Healy was then transferred to University Hospital Limerick and the men were praised for their life-saving actions.

Sadly, Mr Healy passed away on April 22 last and was buried on April 25 - just two days before last Thursday's award ceremony.

Despite it being an incredibly emotional time for the family, Mr Healy's wife Eileen and his children, Tom Jr and Deirdre McNamara attended the awards with a picture of Tom displayed proudly at their table.

In Pictures: Out and about at the Limerick Person of the Year awards

The family said that their beloved husband and father would have wanted them to be there to celebrate and honour the men who gave them “another year” with their loved one.

Mr Healy was remembered at the awards with MC Lorcan Murray commenting that the proud Limerick man was “with them in spirit”.

In a moving moment, Mr Healy's grandson Lucas, 7, presented Prof Barry Linanne with his Person of the Month front page.

Professor Linnane and Dr Shinkwin shared an emotional embrace with Mr Healy's children. His son Tom Jr, said it meant “so much” to the family that they were able to meet the men in person to thank them.